China Tightens Rules On Children-Themed Micro-Dramas To Protect Young Stars

China's New Stance on Children's Content

China is making waves in the entertainment sector with new guidelines designed to protect minors in children-themed micro-dramas. Announced by the National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA), these rules aim to curb the adultization and commercial exploitation of young performers. The move acknowledges the rapid expansion of online micro-dramas featuring children and the growing need to establish clear content boundaries.

Guidelines Targeting Problematic Narratives

The NRTA's new guidance explicitly bans the portrayal of child characters in adult roles or in narratives primarily constructed for dramatic conflict. This includes forbidding storylines like "time travel" and "reincarnation" that may justify manipulative or power-hungry behavior. Additionally, plots that depict children as business moguls, school bullies, or central figures in confrontation-heavy themes are also off-limits.

“These measures aim to strengthen safeguards for minors as short-form online video content continues to grow rapidly,” an NRTA official commented.

Commercial and Operational Restrictions

The guidelines further prohibit using children as marketing tools in commercial promotions or celebrity-building initiatives. Production companies are instructed not to involve child performers in campaigns that push early fame or place financial pressures on families through costly training and packaging fees. The regulation also safeguards child actors from grueling filming schedules and scenes involving violence, horror, or complex emotions beyond their capacity.

Quality and Content Oversight

Producers are urged to steer clear of low-quality or inappropriate content masked as comedy or art, especially if it contradicts the cognitive development of children. These comprehensive measures underscore China’s commitment to ensuring the well-being of minors amid the booming short-form video content industry.