China is taking steps to address what it calls its “chaotic” celebrity fan culture by ramping up control over celeb information online, Reuters reports.
Beijing announced the new measures in a Monday statement, saying the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) will crackdown on alleged negative influence on Chinese youth by celebrities.
Celebrity obsession of material goods and lavish lifestyles has “impacted mainstream values,” the CAC wrote. Going forward, celebrity content must “promote socialist core values” and avoid “deformed aesthetics, extravagant pleasure, show off wealth and worship, etc.”
China threatened punishments against entities that spread false or malicious information regarding influencer types and increased regulation of celebrity endorsements and advertisements.
The new requirements also target fan clubs, which Reuters notes have skyrocketed in popularity as of late.
The move comes in the wake of several celebrity scandals involving tax evasion and sexual assault. Notably, police became involved in July when Canadian Chinese pop star Kris Wu was suspected of sexual assault, according to Reuters.
Wu is among those on a list published by the China Association of Performing Arts on Tuesday, which notes 88 people banned from livestreaming.
In September, Beijing accused the entertainment industry of “severely polluting the social atmosphere,” including the depiction of “effeminate” behavior.