China Unveils First Anti-Cyberbullying Law Draft, Targeting Evidence Collection and Rights Protection

China has taken a landmark step in addressing online harassment with the release of its first dedicated anti-cyberbullying law for public comment. The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), together with relevant departments, published the “Anti-Cyberbullying Law of the People’s Republic of China (Draft for Comments)” on July 29, according to Xinhua News. The 7-chapter, 60-article draft represents China’s first high-level national legislation specifically targeting cyberbullying, marking a shift from reactive special campaigns to systematic long-term governance.

A Legislative Response to a Growing Crisis

The draft law emerges against a backdrop of high-profile cyberbullying tragedies that have galvanized public demand for legal action. In January 2022, 15-year-old Liu Xuezhou died by suicide after enduring massive online harassment while searching for his birth parents. A year later, 24-year-old graduate student Zheng Linghua, known as the “pink-haired girl,” took her own life following months of appearance-based cyberbullying. These cases, along with the growing “doxxing” phenomenon where individuals’ personal information is illegally published online, exposed the inadequacy of existing legal remedies and intensified calls for dedicated legislation.

The official announcement from the CAC notes that the draft was developed pursuant to the National People’s Congress Standing Committee’s 2026 legislative work plan, which identified anti-cyberbullying legislation as a preparatory project. Public comments are being accepted until August 28, 2026.

Defining Cyberbullying for the First Time

For the first time at the national legal level, the draft provides a statutory definition of cyberbullying. It encompasses activities conducted through networks that collectively or continuously infringe upon individuals’ or organizations’ lawful rights, including reputation, honor, privacy, portrait, and personal information rights. Specific prohibited activities include mass publication of insulting, defamatory, hate-inciting, or discriminatory content; illegal mass publication of personal information (doxxing); and continuous online intimidation and harassment.

The draft also extends jurisdiction extraterritorially, covering cyberbullying activities by overseas organizations or individuals targeting people within China’s territory, as CCTV News reported.

Platform Responsibilities Take Center Stage

A significant portion of the draft law is dedicated to platform governance, imposing substantial obligations on network service providers. Platforms would be required to establish cyberbullying monitoring and identification mechanisms using artificial intelligence combined with manual review, and would be prohibited from using algorithmic recommendation to amplify cyberbullying content. The draft also mandates that platforms provide one-click protection and one-click evidence collection features for users, implement real-name verification, and establish rumor-refutation mechanisms.

According to the 21st Century Business Herald, platforms found in violation could face fines ranging from 50,000 to 10 million yuan, with the most severe penalties reserved for cases causing especially serious consequences. Large platforms would also be required to publish annual cyberbullying governance reports.

Breaking Down Barriers to Justice

The draft law directly confronts the two most persistent challenges facing cyberbullying victims: the difficulty of collecting evidence and the difficulty of protecting their rights. Victims would be able to apply for personal rights infringement injunctions at grassroots courts, allowing them to halt ongoing harassment before it causes irreparable harm. Courts could also request public security assistance for evidence collection when victims face difficulties, and procuratorates could support public prosecution for serious cases. The draft explicitly affirms victims’ right to claim mental distress damages.

Zhan Deqiang, a senior partner at Shanghai Tianshang Law Firm, noted in a legal analysis that the draft “marks China’s cyberbullying governance transitioning from scattered departmental regulations to systematic high-level legislation,” adding that its strengthening of platform responsibilities and optimization of judicial remedy paths “will profoundly change the approach to handling online infringement cases and rights protection strategies.”

Expert Perspectives on the Legislation

Legal and policy experts have broadly welcomed the draft while highlighting both its significance and areas requiring refinement. Liu Yanhong, vice president and professor at China University of Political Science and Law, wrote in an expert analysis that “a clean cyberspace requires strong rule-of-law safeguards,” describing the legislation as “a key measure to implement the Party Central Committee’s decisions and deployments, strengthen legislation in key and emerging areas, and curb the spread of cyberbullying.”

Wang Zhiqin, vice president of the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology, emphasized in a separate analysis that the law “consolidates mature experience in comprehensive cyber governance through high-level dedicated legislation, builds a multi-party collaborative long-term governance system, and promotes civilized internet usage through the rule of law.”

However, legal practitioners have also flagged concerns. Zhan Deqiang noted that the draft’s catch-all provision for “other activities” could lead to overly broad interpretation, suggesting that clearer quantitative standards for what constitutes “concentrated” and “continuous” behavior are needed. He also pointed to the need for better-defined boundaries between legitimate whistleblowing and public oversight on one hand, and cyberbullying on the other.

The Southern Metropolis Daily, which previously exposed the doxxing underground industry through investigative reporting, noted that the draft specifically prohibits the illegal processing of personal information that individuals have made public, directly targeting the “human flesh search” phenomenon.

AI and the New Frontier of Cyberbullying

Recognizing the rapid evolution of online harassment, the draft law includes specific provisions addressing AI-generated cyberbullying content. Platforms would be required to implement labeling systems for AI-generated content and enhance traceability capabilities. The draft also prohibits the use of generative AI and personalized recommendation technologies to create, reproduce, or disseminate cyberbullying information, as CCTV News analysis highlighted.

What’s Next

The public comment period runs until August 28, 2026, after which the CAC will review feedback before submitting the draft to the National People’s Congress Standing Committee for deliberation. The timeline for final passage remains unclear, but the legislative momentum suggests the law could be enacted within the current legislative cycle.

For technology platforms operating in China, the implications are substantial: significant investments in monitoring systems, evidence collection tools, and compliance mechanisms will be required. For victims, the law promises multiple new avenues for protection and remedy, potentially reducing the barriers that have long discouraged individuals from seeking justice. And for the broader legal system, the draft creates novel procedural mechanisms that could reshape how online harassment cases are handled.

As China moves from “special campaigns” to “long-term rule of law” in addressing cyberbullying, the world will be watching whether this ambitious legislative framework can deliver on its promise of a cleaner, safer digital public square.