Clampdown sweeps across 2,400 websites and apps as cyberspace watchdog escalates fight against generative tech abuse
1-MIN READ1-MIN ListenBen Jiangin BeijingPublished: 5:15pm, 2 Sep 2026China is cracking down on artificial intelligence-generated “slop” – low-grade, mass-produced synthetic content cluttering social media and news feeds – as part of a sweeping campaign against generative technology abuse, the country’s top internet watchdog said on Wednesday.In a statement posted to its website, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) said it had scrubbed more than 5.61 million pieces of harmful or illegal content and removed some 49,000 accounts during its latest enforcement drive.The clampdown swept up 2,400 websites and apps, targeting some of China’s biggest digital spaces, including TikTok’s sister app Douyin and rival Kuaishou, as well as RedNote and Tencent Holdings’ WeChat.Authorities focused on reining in AI-driven fake news, explicit and violent material, impersonation and safety violations involving minors.
09:08Why does China love AI-generated content?The CAC said creators on Douyin, Kuaishou and WeChat used AI to turn literary classics such as Romance of the Three Kingdoms and Journey to the West into sensationalised, low-grade slop to attract traffic.
