People in the mainland who share obscene materials through online or phone messaging services will face administrative detention of at least 10 days and a fine of up to 5,000 yuan under a revised public security law that takes effect on January 1.
The punishment will be heavier if the materials involve minors.
The revised law has removed restrictions on the scenarios of sharing such materials, meaning any act of spreading obscene information through online channels – whether in large groups or private one-on-one chats – can lead to administrative penalties if verified.
Judicial interpretations further clarify the criminal case-filing threshold: those who set up or manage online groups mainly for sharing obscene materials, with more than 30 members or causing serious consequences, can be convicted of the crime of spreading obscene materials.
Even without profit motives, group administrators who fail to manage their groups and allow members to share such content will be held responsible.
According to a Southern Metropolis Daily report, a defendant surnamed Lu in Huizhou, Guangdong was convicted of spreading obscene materials for forwarding 54 obscene videos to a WeChat friend. In another case, Li Mopei in Qingyuan’s Fogang county faced criminal punishment for sharing 104 obscene videos with seven friends.
