China's cyberspace regulatory authority has imposed a fine of 500,000 yuan (approximately$68,342.42) on the Alibaba-owned Quark platform for hosting and promoting explicit content.

Additionally, the regulator has directed Netease's live stream platform, Netease CC, to suspend the broadcast of certain types of dance content for seven days due to similar content concerns.

Quark has responded by taking the issue seriously, banning illicit content on its platform, and enhancing its ability to identify and address harmful information.

Why does it matter?

China's latest action in cracking down on vulgar content can be seen as a part of the government's ongoing efforts to enhance online safety. Regulatory bodies have closely scrutinized platforms for rule compliance, recently imposing a hefty 1 million yuan fine on Tencent Holdings for alleged illegal and pornographic content on 'Little World' in Tencent QQ. However, while concerns about explicit material and predatory behavior are raised, this move may spark questions about the extent of government control over online content.