China: Cyberspace Administration of China opened consultation on draft Administrative Measures for Digital Virtual Human Information Services including age verification requirement

On 3 April 2026, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) opened a consultation on draft Administrative Measures for Digital Virtual Human Information Services until 6 May 2026. The draft Measures apply to organisations and individuals providing internet information services to the public within the territory of the People's Republic of China through digital virtual persons. They would require separate consent from a parent or guardian before processing the personal information of a minor under the age of fourteen for modelling, image generation, or scene construction. They would prohibit digital virtual human services that induce minors to become addicted, provide virtual relatives, virtual partners, or other virtual intimate relationships to minors, induce excessive consumption, induce religious belief, or contain information that may cause minors to imitate unsafe behaviours, engage in behaviours that violate social morality, experience extreme emotions, or develop bad habits.