China Proposes Regulations to Oversee Digital Humans

The Cyberspace Administration of China issued draft regulations on April 3, 2026, to govern the development and use of digital humans. The proposed rules require all virtual human content to carry a prominent digital human label and prohibit the use of personal information or identifiable traits for modeling without informed consent. To prevent fraud, the regulations forbid using digital humans to bypass identity verification systems.

Protections for minors are a central component of the draft, which bans services that simulate family or intimate relationships or those that encourage addiction and excessive spending among users under 18. Service providers are also advised to block sexually suggestive, cruel, or violent content and to intervene when users exhibit self-harming or suicidal tendencies.

From a security perspective, the rules prohibit digital humans from disseminating content that threatens national security, promotes secession, or incites the subversion of state power. These measures align with a broader five-year policy blueprint from the Government of China to aggressively integrate artificial intelligence into the economy while ensuring adherence to socialist values. The draft remains open for public comment until May 6, 2026.