Beijing Issues Sweeping Draft Regulations to Control Digital Humans and Protect Minors From AI Addiction

New draft rules from Beijing require labels for digital humans and ban virtual intimate relationships for minors to prevent AI addiction and protect security.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 4, 2026, 5:48 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Channel News Asia

A New Regulatory Frontier for Virtual Identities

The Cyberspace Administration of China has moved to formalize the oversight of "digital humans," introducing draft regulations that demand high levels of transparency from AI service providers. Under these new rules, any content featuring virtual personas must carry prominent labels to ensure the public can distinguish between biological humans and synthetic entities. This initiative, published for public comment until May 6, represents a significant step in the state’s effort to manage the social and psychological impact of increasingly lifelike artificial intelligence.

Guarding the Psychological Well-being of Minors

A primary focus of the proposed framework is the protection of children from potentially addictive or manipulative AI interactions. The draft explicitly prohibits digital humans from providing "virtual intimate relationships" to any user under the age of 18, seeking to curb the rise of synthetic companions that could displace real-world social development. According to the regulator, these measures are necessary to prevent the digital human sector from fueling screen addiction or misleading younger generations through emotionally simulated content.

Strict Protocols for Personal Data and Identity Security

Beyond social protections, the regulations establish firm legal boundaries regarding the creation of digital avatars. The draft bans the use of personal information to generate digital twins without the explicit consent of the data subject, a move aimed at preventing "deepfake" impersonations. Furthermore, the Cyberspace Administration has signaled that virtual humans cannot be used to circumvent identity verification systems, closing a potential loophole that could have been exploited for fraud or unauthorized access to secure networks.