China closes consultation on digital virtual human services

The Cyberspace Administration of China has closed its public consultation on the draft Administrative Measures for Digital Virtual Human Information Services, which set out proposed rules for digital virtual human services provided to the public in China.

The notice states that the consultation opened in April 2026 and that comments were accepted until 6 May 2026. According to the draft, the measures would apply to internet information services delivered to the public within China through digital virtual humans.

The draft says providers and users must process data for lawful purposes and within a lawful scope, use data from legal sources, and fulfil their data security responsibilities. It also requires technical and other necessary measures to protect data storage and transmission and to prevent leaks or improper use.

The text further requires digital virtual human service providers and users to establish security risk monitoring, warning, emergency response, anti-addiction mechanisms, and stronger content-direction management, while also retaining logs. Providers whose services have public opinion attributes or social mobilisation capacity would also be required to complete algorithm filing procedures and security assessments in line with existing national rules.

Beyond cybersecurity and data protection, the draft includes provisions on personal information, personality rights, intellectual property, content controls, labelling requirements, and protections for minors. It defines digital virtual humans as virtual figures in the non-physical world that simulate human appearance and may have voice, behaviour, interaction abilities, or personality traits, using graphics, digital image processing, or AI technologies.

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