The growth of livestreaming has resulted in more and more merchants and brands using celebrities or Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) to promote their products online. While livestreaming is an extremely convenient way for consumers to learn more about products and is lucrative for brands, the industry has also struggled with the problem of counterfeit goods.
There are laws regulating the sales of counterfeits – Article 214 of China’s Criminal Law stipulates that those who make a large amount of money selling counterfeits can get between three to ten years imprisonment. Nonetheless, the problem remains widespread throughout the livestreaming industry.
The issue came to a head on social media yesterday as netizens investigated what the consequence was for those involved with illegally selling fake goods. The topic “#Influencers who sell counterfeits can be sentenced for up to 10 years” (#网红直播带假货最高可判处十年有期徒刑#) gained 130 million views on Weibo. Users commented that China should update livestreaming regulations and introduce higher requirements for selling products during streams.
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