Kuaishou fined RMB$119.1m for failing to curb pornographic content

China's cyberspace regulator has fined Kuaishou Technology RMB$119.1 million and issued a warning for failing to adequately curb pornographic and vulgar livestream content on its short-video platform.

This follows the flood of pornographic content on Kuaishou's livestreaming platform on 22 December 2025, which included obscene videos and vulgar performances. Kuaishou stated at the time that it had been targeted by illegal online practices and had addressed the issues urgently. This prompted the Cyberspace Administration of China to launch an investigation into the suspected illegal activities.

Upon investigation, it was found that Kuaishou failed to fulfill its cybersecurity protection obligations, did not promptly address system vulnerabilities and security risks, and failed to take immediate measures to stop the transmission or remove illegal content posted by users. The severity of these violations has had a seriously negative impact.

Therefore, the regulator has issued a warning and imposed a fine of 119.1 million yuan on Kuaishou Technology, based on China’s cybersecurity law and the Administrative Penalty Law. The company is also ordered to rectify within a specified timeframe, appropriately handle affected accounts, and take strict action against responsible individuals.

The authority has emphasised that it will continue to strengthen internet law enforcement, vigorously crack down on various illegal activities, and urge online platforms to fulfill their primary responsibilities, ensuring cybersecurity, protecting the legal rights of citizens, and maintaining a clear and safe online environment.

In response to the investigation's findings, Kuaishou apologised in a statement on its WeChat account, explaining that due to technical management issues, its emergency response was not timely, resulting in a significant amount of pornographic and vulgar content on the platform and causing a negative impact.

“Following the incident, we conducted a thorough review of our risk awareness, security infrastructure, emergency response, and internal management to identify problems and take corrective measures,” the statement reads. It added that the company will continue to prioritise both safety and development, strengthen its commitment to legal compliance, improve governance mechanisms, and fulfill its responsibilities to society.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to Kuaishou for a statement.

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Back in January, the State Administration for Market Regulation fined Kuaigou, Kuaishou's eCommerce unit, RMB$26.7 million for several "illegal acts." The regulator said Kuaigou charged "unreasonable" fees, failed to protect consumers, did not address counterfeit products on its platform, and facilitated false or misleading marketing practices.

Kuaigou was also found to have published "illegal advertising," failed to disclose required information, and provided services for the illegal sale or purchase of wild animals and their products, as well as prohibited hunting tools, according to the regulator.

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