China Seeks to Protect Minors With Proposed AI Rules

China’s internet regulator has proposed new rules that would ban online platforms from offering AI-driven virtual companions to minors or deploying algorithms designed to foster addiction, expanding Beijing’s efforts to reduce the psychological risks of digital services for young users.

The Cyberspace Administration of China is collecting public feedback on the draft rules issued on Friday, under which network service providers would be prohibited from offering virtual intimate relationship services, such as virtual relatives and partners, to underage users. The rules would also bar minors from hosting livestreams or using social networking services to interact with strangers, except for individuals aged 16 and above who rely on their personal income as their primary source of livelihood.