On Tuesday, the online performing and livestreaming branch of China Association of Performing Arts issued a blacklist that includes 59 online livestreamers. China Daily writer Zhang Zhouxiang comments:

Among the 59 livestreamers involved, two have aroused quite fierce debates and discussions in the past few days. The first, carrying an online name "Princess Qiao Biluo", was found to be hyping herself after "accidentally" revealing the face of a 58-year-old woman whose image hardly matches her voice, so as to attract more eyeballs. She was banned for causing negative social influence.

The second, Beibei from the rap group Triple H, is suspected of cutting off his finger during the livestreaming of their music. The former was put on the list because of hyping up while the latter was forbidden because of possible violent pictures.

A browse of past reports shows that the other 57 livestreaming anchors have similar problems. By punishing them, CAPA is protecting the rights of consumers.

More important, this time it is not an administrative agency, but a society for performing artists that has punished the livestreamers. According to its official website, CAPA is a non-official organization formed voluntarily by performing artists nationwide, and it has established disciplinary rules covering livestreaming, which is a relatively new profession. The rules clearly list forbidden deeds, and the punishments were meted out to the 59 livestreamers according to these rules.

Moreover, the rules set different penalties for different rule-breaking deeds. They set lighter penalties, such as being limited to performing livestreaming of certain topics only, for less harmful deeds.

That's a good example of an industry regulating itself. It has clear rules that every participant must follow, and clear penalties for any rule-breaking activities, and has an efficient mechanism to implement the rules without intervention from the authorities.