Douyin Collaborates with Chinese Authorities, Arrests 162 Suspects in Black-Gray Industry

Central News Agency (Taipei) June 2 - Douyin, the Chinese short-video platform, announced today that it has strengthened its identification and evidence preservation of illegal activities such as pornography and gambling redirection in live streams, and has reported them to the competent authorities. Since the beginning of this year, it has collaborated with relevant Chinese departments to arrest 162 suspects involved in black-gray industry chains. The WeChat official account "Douyin Blackboard" released this information on the 2nd, highlighting four typical cases of illegal activities in the black-gray industry and urging users to be vigilant when watching live streams. Douyin pointed out that some streamers suddenly displayed QR codes during live streams, inducing users to scan them to download overseas pornographic software. After identifying the corresponding violations, the platform immediately disposed of the content and accounts, preserved evidence, and collaborated with the authorities to crack down on them. 15 suspects who accepted tasks from overseas criminal organizations and were paid based on the number of scans were criminally detained. Douyin also pointed out that some streamers displayed obscure URL information when their live stream popularity rose, redirecting users to gambling apps to top up. Two suspects received commissions from overseas criminals and used the live stream to redirect users to overseas gambling apps; they are currently criminally detained. Douyin also mentioned that some accounts posted information redirecting users to overseas social media accounts. After investigation and evidence collection by the platform, these users purchased "VPN" software, posted pornographic content on overseas social media, and guided users to follow their overseas accounts to achieve the purpose of pornographic redirection. The platform immediately disposed of the accounts, preserved the records, and collaborated with relevant departments to investigate and crack down on them. Three users were criminally detained, and the cases are under further investigation. Douyin also mentioned that a network company in a certain region developed and operated a third-party platform and website, publicly promoting, promoting, and selling services such as "illegal reporting on behalf of others" and "unblocking illegal accounts" against Douyin. The platform preserved evidence and sued them in a local court. The court determined that the "reporting on behalf of others" service provided intentionally destroyed Douyin's complaint and reporting mechanism, and the "unblocking" service posed a hidden danger to user privacy and information security. The relevant personnel must bear corresponding legal responsibilities. Douyin stated that currently, traditional black-gray industry organizations are using various covert means to post illegal content on the site, testing the platform's identification boundaries, and new types of black-gray industries such as "illegal account unblocking" are emerging externally, attempting to evade platform disposal. Faced with illegal and criminal organizations that continue to maliciously confront platform governance, it will continue to iterate its identification and disposal capabilities and link with competent authorities to dig and crack down.