China-inspired rules for influencers: Why Kenyan MP wants to regulate online content

Nyaribari Chache MP Zaheer Jhanda has announced plans to table a bill that would require social-media influencers to hold relevant academic qualifications and recognition by professional bodies before commenting on specialised subjects. 

He said Kenya should “borrow a leaf” from China’s tighter approach to online content, warning that misinformation and disinformation “will become a crisis soon.” 

Jhanda added that influencers who speak on areas such as law, finance, health or media should be vetted and recognised by bodies including the Law Society of Kenya, the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya and the Media Council of Kenya.

Jhanda’s remarks immediately thrust Kenya into a global conversation about who gets to give expert advice online and how far governments should go to police it. 

He framed his push as a quality-control measure for content that can shape financial decisions, legal choices and health outcomes. 

China is the template Jhanda invoked, and its record shows an escalating clampdown on unqualified online advice. 

In June 2022 Beijing issued detailed live-streaming rules that barred creators from discussing fields like law, finance and medicine without appropriate qualifications, and required platforms to police violations. 

Those measures marked a shift from general platform responsibility to topic-specific expertise checks.

New nationwide rules that took effect around October 25, 2025 require influencers who post about medicine, law, education or finance to show proof of expertise, such as a degree, licence or certification, with platforms like Douyin, Bilibili and Weibo tasked to verify credentials. 

The thrust is to curb misinformation but critics warn that it could be a means of deterring speech and overreach. 

For Kenya, Jhanda’s proposal would test the balance between consumer protection and free expression in a booming creator economy. 

If drafted and introduced, the bill will need to define who counts as an “influencer,” what topics trigger credential checks, how professional recognition would work, and how platforms and regulators would share enforcement. 

How China enforces the law

China enforces its influencer regulations through a mix of strict credential verification, heavy platform accountability, and targeted penalties that make compliance almost unavoidable. 

At the centre of this system is the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), which works with other agencies like the National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA) and the National Health Commission to monitor and manage online content.

Under China’s current framework, influencers are required to submit evidence of their credentials to the platforms they use. 

Platforms like Douyin, Weibo, and Bilibili must verify this information and are held legally responsible for allowing only approved creators to speak on those subjects.

If an influencer is caught giving medical or legal advice without the proper qualifications, their account can be suspended, demonetised, or permanently deleted. 

In some cases, fines are imposed on both the creator and the hosting platform. For instance, in 2025, new “Guidelines for Regulating Medical Science Self-Media Behaviour” were issued to curb fake health advice and misleading endorsements online.

These rules require creators posting medical content to display their real names, disclose their professional titles, and back up their claims with credible sources.

Beyond individual influencers, China’s laws target the ecosystem that supports them. 

The “Provisions on the Governance of the Online Information Content Ecosystem” obligate all platforms to remove content deemed harmful to public order, social morality, or state interests. 

The Advertising Law and Internet Advertising Measures also apply, ensuring that influencers cannot make false or deceptive claims while promoting products or services.

Enforcement relies heavily on digital surveillance and data-sharing between platforms and the government. 

Every major social media company in China must maintain backend records that link influencers’ accounts to verified national IDs or business registrations. 

This integration allows authorities to trace and shut down non-compliant accounts quickly. 

Multi-channel networks (MCNs) agencies that manage groups of influencers, are also required to register with the state and submit regular management data to ensure accountability.

Through this layered approach, China has effectively built one of the world’s most comprehensive systems for controlling online influence. 

It combines credential checks, real-name verification, platform oversight, and punitive measures to ensure that professional commentary comes only from accredited individuals. 

While this model has been praised for curbing misinformation, critics argue that it also tightens state control over free expression.