Chinese Government Cracks Down on Fake Social Accounts
Digital marketers say Chinese regulation to implement real-name verification for social media accounts will enhance the quality of consumer data.
New Chinese government regulation to enforce real-name identification for all new and existing accounts on social media platforms will give digital marketers more authentic returns on investment and more accurate consumer data, industry leaders say.
The new measure, issued by the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), came into effect on March 1, and puts the onus on social platforms themselves, such as Weibo and WeChat, to ensure all accounts are linked and verified to real people.
More than 60,000 accounts have already been shut down by a number of Chinese Internet organizations, including Tencent – which owns popular messaging apps WeChat and QQ – and Sina Weibo, in the lead-up to the enforcement of the new rules, according to a recent report.
While the move is seen by some as a constraint to free speech in China, many marketing experts have welcomed it.
“One challenge for brands in China running social media campaigns is the quality of followers acquired on social media,” says Beijing-based Leon Zhang, the national head of social media at MediaCom. “In this case, in terms of campaign performances, especially for brands using social media to increase followers, this will be good news.”
By eliminating supposed “zombie” or fake accounts, marketers in China will be able to better monitor consumer data and verify what is really being said about their brands, says Joseph Tsang, digital business director for Greater China at Grey Digital in Shanghai.
“It’s about the quality of the consumer data base over the quantity. Quality is the most important thing for the marketer,” says Tsang. “From a marketing perspective it will encourage discussion on social media that is real.”
Under the new rules, brands can expect more “realistic” measurements on their social media investments, adds Chris Maier, head of research and analytics for ZenithOptimedia China.
“A big challenge in China is you don’t always know what you have bought. You might be told you got 10,000 impressions and you have to take them by their word,” says Maier. “In [this new] social media ecosystem you might see tons and tons of good stuff on the brand, or conversely, the bad, but it will help to give real views on the organic comment that is being written. It will be a barometer on what is being said, and as a result the measurement will be more positive.”
But while the new regulations seems to be universally welcomed by marketers, they could pose problems for users on bulletin board systems (BBS) and online forums, key opinion leaders (KOLs), bloggers, and other writers who wish to remain anonymous.
Asking for real-name identification isn’t necessarily new practice in China – Weibo has been asking for it since a similar crackdown in 2012 – but implementation has remained a challenge.
“The user base in China is very big – I think these official media platforms want to do it and will co-operate with the government,” says Tsang. “But it will take some time to do it.”
Image via Shutterstock.
