A netizen surnamed Xing, residing in Datong, Shanxi, was administratively detained for unauthorized use of an AI-generated digital avatar of Zheng Liwen, the chairwoman of the Kuomintang of China, during a live-streaming sales event. This act constituted a violation of the law. In recent years, the burgeoning popularity of new technologies, such as AI-powered digital human live-streaming, has unfortunately also given rise to illegal activities. These include the unauthorized use of AI to counterfeit the images of celebrities for live-streaming sales purposes. For example, actress Wen Zhengrong and Olympic champion Quan Hongchan have both had their images and voices cloned through AI for unauthorized broadcasts. Additionally, a company in Beijing employed AI technology to falsely impersonate a host for deceptive promotional activities.

In response to these emerging challenges, regulatory authorities have implemented measures to tackle such issues head-on. The Cyberspace Administration of China, in collaboration with relevant departments, has initiated action against accounts that violate laws and regulations, and has publicly exposed typical cases to serve as a deterrent. Meanwhile, Douyin, a popular social media platform, has also launched special governance initiatives to curb such illegal activities. Legal experts have pointed out that severe illegal activities carried out by merchants may constitute criminal offenses. Therefore, consumers are encouraged to promptly report any leads or suspicious activities they come across to the relevant authorities.