Streaming development trends and regulation methods: the Chinese approach

The widespread use of streaming in contemporary society makes researchers consider the increasing number of facets of this complex social phenomenon with distinct media, social-cultural, technological, and economic characteristics. Since Chinese streaming platforms were created and became popular much earlier than in other countries, the presented description of streaming focuses on the Chinese approach to its development and regulation. The article describes the components of streaming that make this type of broadcasting significant for sociological study, the main types of streaming and the institutional structure of the Chinese streaming industry (key players, scale of public engagement, segmentation of streaming channels audiences, etc.). The authors identify the key trends in the development of the streaming industry in China (competition between national and international broadcasts, huge reach and commercial success, interaction between corporations and the state in content moderation, etc.) using TikTok as an example, since it determined the phenomenal success of Chinese streamers in the international online space and became an instrument of China’s «soft power». The article highlights the key areas of government regulation of streaming in China: economically, authorities are interested in developing the streaming industry as a driver of economic growth and a tool for job creation (especially at the regional level), while politically and ideologically, they strictly control streaming by legally prohibiting some content and encouraging streaming platforms to implement self-regulation measures. Thus, the directions of government and public regulation of streaming depend on its value content and objective ideological and technological capabilities for its control, and there are clear opportunities for applying Chinese experience to Russian realities.

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