PASCUAL SERRANO

The prevailing view among the Spanish population, undoubtedly influenced by the monotonous discourse of the media and political leaders, is that China is an undesirable dictatorship from which we should take no note or example. However, I believe it can be a valuable exercise in humility and learning to observe how they address issues that remain a serious problem here.

I'm going to review some current issues that are generating controversy in our country, for which we need solutions, and then we'll see how they are being dealt with in China.

Influencers

In our societies, social media influencers have more credibility and authority among citizens, and especially young people, than scientists, educators, political leaders, or lawyers. Let's imagine legislation was passed to prevent influencers from discussing topics on their social media...professionals such as Medicine, law, education, or finance, have the academic credentials that certify their knowledge. I believe that the The vast majority of the population would agree.

The Chinese government, through the National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA), announced a package of regulations aimed at bringing order to the booming live-streaming industry, one of the country's most lucrative sectors. From now on, influencers and live-streaming hosts will be subject to these new regulations. They must demonstrate that they have the "adequate qualifications" If they want to discuss professional topics such as medicine, law, education, or finance. According to the official document, the hosts "assume significant responsibilities" in disseminating scientific and cultural knowledge, therefore They must demonstrate their training in order to provide reliable information.

The new regulations not only establish academic requirements, but also list them. 31 prohibited practices for content creators. These include promoting gambling, violence, or drugs; and depicting wasteful or extreme consumption behaviors, such as the popular mukbang transmissions, in which the hosts eat large quantities of food in front of the camera.

onlyfans

The Onlyfans platform has revealed itself not only as a place for pornography, but as something pernicious for many young people who perceive that showing their bodies or their sexual relationships can be a more beneficial method of making money than working on productive things.

Many of those who post there are unaware that when a content creator decides to publish a photo or video on the platform, they should know that It ceases to be exclusively yours. The Terms of Service The page makes it clear that the creator “agrees to grant us a license under all of its content to perform any act restricted by any intellectual property right (including copyright).”

OnlyFans has been the subject of many headlinesAnd none of them good. From the shameful—and dangerous—sexual challenges of Lilly Phillips and Bonnie Blue, with their dares to sleep with hundreds of men in a single day, to the investigations by the British regulator Ofcom to prevent minors from accessing adult content. In January, the model died. OnlyFans Anna Polly died after falling from a balcony while filming a threesome. Last September, another Brazilian colleague of hers was found dead after a party on a yacht.

There are many voices in our countries calling for legal action on this matter, which has nothing to do with freedom of expression. The Spanish government has hinted at it. But nothing has been confirmed.

Last July, China blocked again OnlyFans, which was accessible for a short period of time thanks to virtual private networks, also known as VPNs. China reaffirms its policy of strict regulation against online pornographyThus it maintains its «zero tolerance» against this type of content.

Although OnlyFans wasn't officially available in China, some users accessed it through VPNs and third-party payment systems. The ban now eliminates those workarounds, restricting access for both creators and users.

Chinese authorities had perceived that for a sector dand youth OnlyFans was starting to be considered as a potential revenue stream.

According to authorities, this adult content platform represents what they call a “corrupt American disease” that threatens the country’s cultural and social values.

Protection of minors

Excessive mobile phone use in children causes problems mental health (anxiety, depression, low self-esteem due to comparison on social media), cognitive development (attention deficit, language) and physical (sleep problems due to melatonin, sedentary lifestyle, eye strain), in addition to risks of cyberbullying, exposure to inappropriate content, and social disconnectionaffecting academic performance and interpersonal skills.

As for social networks, Pediatricians call for limits Its access to minors under 16 is a concern due to its impact on mental health. Something in which The European Parliament agrees.

The Spanish government plans to process an organic law for the protection of minors in digital environments, but currently there is no legislation beyond recommendations.

There are plans to raise the The minimum age to access and register on social networks is being raised from the current 14 years to 16, but there is no established mechanism for monitoring or sanctioning social networks.

At present, the average age in Spain for access to a first mobile phone It's 11 years old and 98% of teenagers have some kind of interaction on social media.

China has legally established limits on the use of mobile phones by minors. From 40 minutes to 2 hours daily, according to age, and prohibition of nighttime use to combat addictions and myopia.

Platforms are also required to implement special modes for children, with restrictions on live streaming and social media for those under 16 without parental consent, and protection of personal data.

The Technology companies will have to adhere to the guidelines established by the China Cyberspace Administration (CAC) to allow the implementation of a "kids mode." This could mean a change in how they design and develop apps and platforms, focusing on the safety and well-being of younger users.

Regarding online games, playing is prohibited between 10 pm and 8 am, and an identity authentication system is required to control access.

Corruption

According to surveys, 93,4% of Spaniards admit that corruption causes them considerable or great concern. 83,1% believe a state law is necessary that regulates pressure groups.

The general perception in the European Union is that corruption is not punished enough, a perception that is even more pronounced in the case of Spain.

In Spain, only 28% believe that people and businesses caught for minor corruption receive appropriate punishment.

Although half (53%) do support the idea that individuals and companies involved in corruption offenses would be prosecuted and brought to trial, then 66% think it would be unlikely that they would receive heavy fines or be imprisoned.

Impunity for corruption is even greater when it comes to bribing high-ranking officials. Only 11% of companies report that individuals and businesses involved in these practices would receive appropriate punishment.

China has launched an anti-corruption campaign after the conclusion of 18th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in 2012. Initiated by General Secretary of the CPC, Xi JinpingThe campaign became the most extensive and systematic anti-corruption effort in the history of CCP governance. In the first ten years eThe Communist Party of China (CPC) reported which investigated and sanctioned around five million people for corruption-related crimes.

As of March 1, 2024, China amended its Criminal Law to impose higher penalties on bribers and entities that accept bribes. The amendments impose harsher penalties on those involved, both individuals and entities. An entity that bribes a public official or employee could be fined, and its leaders could face up to seven years in prison. Employees of the entity responsible for committing the crime could face up to ten years in prison plus individual fines.

En In January 2025, the Chinese news agency Xinhua reported that in the anti-corruption campaign launched in April 2024, 433.000 low-ranking officials were sanctioned and 14.000 were prosecuted.

He managed to bring back to the country 1.306 corrupt fugitives who had fled abroad and has also recovered illicit assets totaling about $2.100 billion between January and November 2024.

In the first three quarters of 2024, anti-corruption watchdogs investigated 19.000 people for offering bribes and referred 2.972 for prosecution.

Clearly, the solutions or measures implemented in one country are not necessarily valid or applicable to others, but if we in our Western countries were a little more modest and humble, perhaps we could appreciate how China has solved problems similar to those we face here and, perhaps, learn from them. But to do so, we will need to stop thinking that our political system is better, that we are more democratic, that our politicians are better, and that our laws are more advanced. When we stop thinking this way, we can begin to learn from China.

Pascual Serrano He is a journalist and writer. His last book is "Forbidden to doubt. The ten weeks in which Ukraine changed the world”