Websites told to remove unlicensed political content

China’s media watchdog on Thursday announced it is requiring several websites, including Sina Weibo and AcFun, to shut down its video and audio streaming services for failing to obtain a license and for broadcasting negative social commentaries.

A statement published on the website of China’ s TV and film watchdog said that some websites, including Sina Weibo, AcFun, ifeng. com, did not obtain the administration’s license on audio- visual services, and ran content about politics and public affairs against government rules, as well as other content providing nega- tive commentary.

Sina Weibo announced late Thursday that users without the license are not allowed to upload audio- visual content, while other video services remain unaff ected. The website added that it will enhance the management of multimedia content and further regulate other video services.

“It is another government move to strengthen its control on politics and social aff airs on the Internet. The regulation will not shut down all their video content, but only to better regulate the Internet and further promote the country’s reform,” Luo Ping, a media expert with the Communication University of China, told the Global Times.

In February, Pear Video, an online platform that produces short videos, was ordered to make changes after producing “exclusive” political news content without a license to publish original content online, make broadcasts and circulate videos.

Weibo has about 340 million monthly active users, while AcFun is one of China’s major providers of cartoons and anime.