Leading short-video app Douyin and four other companies were told on Saturday by the Beijing municipal authorities to rectify their operations after one advertisement placed by Douyin was found to have content disrespectful toward Chinese martyrs, said a statement on the WeChat account of the Beijing Office of Cyberspace Affairs on Sunday.
The Beijing Office of Cyberspace Affairs and Beijing Administration for Industry and Commerce asked the firms to remove all content that used the names and images of Chinese martyrs for commercial purposes. The agencies have ordered all companies to reform their ad-review process, and all personnel involved in reviewing ads must undergo new training on relevant laws and regulations, core socialist values and the history of the Chinese revolution.
A new law to protect the honor and reputation of national heroes and martyrs came into force on May 1 after being approved in April by unanimous vote of the National People's Congress.
Douyin and the other companies involved have announced they will temporarily suspend all their ad operations and implement the required changes.
