China cracks down on soft porn, violence and materialism in viral micro dramas

Chinese authorities feature ordered a crackdown on mercenary, wild and sexualised contents in locally made micro dramas.

Provincial authorities are required to inspect the work of micro drama filmmakers as part of a two-month campaign to foster a "clean and healthy" industry, said China's National Radio and Television Administration.

The campaign targets eight types of content, including soft pornography, "distorted views on marriage and relationships" and "ostentatious displays of wealth".

Micro dramas, which are serialised, made-for-mobile clips, have exploded in popularity globally in recent years - but have also drawn criticism for their often sensationalist content.

Many shows feature wild, fast-moving plot lines, about topics ranging from secret billionaire husbands to forbidden romances, that are designed to keep viewers glued to their screens.

There has also been no shortage of shows portraying excessive violence or sexualised characters.

China's media administration said in a statement this week that the media campaign is one of "great significance for creating a healthy content ecosystem" for the micro drama industry.

The campaign will address key issues including soft pornography, "materialism and ostentatious displays of wealth" and "distorted views on marriage and relationships."

It will also target "feudalistic themes, violent revenge content, vulgar titles and copyright infringement", the statement read.

Local authorities are expected to conduct spot checks on the work of their jurisdiction's production firms, which will be required to promptly rectify any issues that surface, said the media regulator.

It added that the administration will carry out its own inspections and improve its regulations based on the findings from the campaign.

Micro dramas have grown into a multi-billion dollar industry for China, attracting large audiences worldwide, including in other parts of Asia and even Africa.

Producers in countries like South Korea and the United States have invested in creating their own micro drama studios to tap the booming sector.

In 2025, the Chinese government launched a separate two-month campaign against online content that was deemed to take "pessimistic sentiments" too far.

That clamp down targeted narratives that suggested studying and hard work were "useless", as well as content that promoted "world-weariness".

According to China's Cyberspace Administration, the campaign's goal was to address negativity and "create a more civilised and rational online environment".

China has in recent years been dealing with economic challenges like unemployment and steep competition for jobs - all of which have given rise to anxiety among some of its youths.

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