China bans intimate photos in private chats: violators face imprisonment

The Communist Party of China has declared war on "indecency" in the digital space. From January 1, 2026, the dissemination of explicit content in private online messages will be punishable not only by a fine but also by imprisonment. The new rules turn intimate correspondence into a legal and moral crime against the state. This is reported by The Washington Post, writes UNN.

Details

The new norms give law enforcement agencies the right to interfere in personal communication on WeChat and QQ platforms. Any "indecent" content, including consensual sexting, is prohibited. Beijing argues that this fills "regulatory gaps" and fights for "socialist morality."

This raises concerns about whether this could lead to government interference in people's private lives 

Fines and arrests for sending photos

Penalties for violating the "clean online environment" have been significantly tightened:

• Arrest: 10 to 15 days for distributing obscene materials.
• Fine: the amount has increased to 700 US dollars (previously about 420 dollars).
• Administrator responsibility: group leaders in messengers are now officially obliged to remove explicit content, otherwise they face imprisonment.

From protecting women to total control

The impetus for the changes was the scandal with the Telegram group "MaskPark", where more than 100,000 men distributed intimate photos of women without their consent. However, human rights activists note that instead of protecting women's rights, the authorities are using this as a pretext to strengthen censorship. In recent years, Chinese leader Xi Jinping has actively restricted feminist activism, and the new law allows any intimate content to be interpreted as a "threat to morality."

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