Chinese Court Rules ‘Gossip Group’ Sharing Classmate’s Private Information Constitutes Privacy Invasion

A Beijing court has ruled that a high school student who created a WeChat “gossip group” to share and discuss a classmate’s private videos and photos committed privacy and portrait rights infringement, even though the student did not directly post the content. The Beijing Fourth Intermediate People’s Court ordered the student and their guardians to apologize and pay more than 24,000 yuan (approximately $3,300) in damages, according to Xinhua News.

The Case

The dispute arose between two high school classmates, referred to in court documents as “Xiao Wang” and “Xiao Li,” both minors. Xiao Wang obtained private videos and photographs of Xiao Li from another student, Xiao Zhang, who was handled in a separate legal proceeding. Wang then created a dedicated WeChat group — colloquially known as a “gossip group” (吃瓜群) — and invited multiple classmates to join, with the explicit purpose of sharing and discussing the material.

Xiao Zhang subsequently posted the private videos and photos in the group, where members discussed them extensively. Some group members further spread the content externally, and the material was even anonymously discussed on the campus “confession wall,” an unofficial social media platform popular among Chinese students. As the content circulated widely, Xiao Li developed anxiety and depression, required psychological and acupuncture treatment, and was ultimately forced to transfer schools.

Court Ruling

The court found that although Xiao Wang did not film or directly upload the videos, his actions constituted infringement of Xiao Li’s privacy and portrait rights under China’s Civil Code. The court determined that Wang knowingly created a space specifically for the dissemination of private information and failed to take any action to stop its spread, effectively organizing and allowing the infringement to continue.

“Some people believe that the group owner is merely the creator of the chat group, not the specific publisher of information, so information posted by group members has nothing to do with them,” said Judge Yang Jindong, a full-time member of the Judicial Committee at the Beijing Fourth Intermediate People’s Court. “But in reality, the group owner is not just a simple creator of the group, but also the manager of the group’s online order.”

The court ordered Xiao Wang and his guardians to issue a formal apology to Xiao Li and pay 20,000 yuan in emotional distress damages plus more than 4,000 yuan in medical and legal fees. The judgment was reported by China News Service.

Legal Significance

The case establishes a significant legal precedent: group chat administrators can be held liable for privacy infringement even when they did not directly create or post the infringing content. The court explicitly stated that determining liability in multi-party online infringement cases should not rely solely on whether someone directly “uploaded” or “published” content, but should consider their overall role in the dissemination process.

Judge Yang emphasized that “what truly causes the victim to suffer is often not the initial video dissemination, but the continuous watching, discussion, and spread that follows.” He warned that “cyberspace is not a lawless place — no organization or individual may spread minors’ privacy under the guise of ‘gossiping’ or ‘making a fuss.’”

The case also applies new guidelines from the Supreme People’s Court issued in March 2026, which specifically address civil trials involving minors. The guidelines, detailed by Hunan Chang’an Net, establish that courts should consider the unique vulnerabilities of minors when determining emotional distress damages and may appropriately increase compensation compared to standards for adult victims.

Broader Context

The ruling comes amid growing concern about cyberbullying among Chinese minors. Campus “confession walls” — unofficial social media accounts that allow anonymous posting — have increasingly become breeding grounds for privacy violations and online harassment. A China National Radio report from January 2026 highlighted how cyberbullying is becoming more complex, hidden, and persistent, increasingly targeting younger students.

The Beijing Youth Legal Aid and Research Center reported nearly 5,000 public legal consultations in the past year, with many involving minor cyberbullying cases. Experts note that the “gossip culture” (吃瓜) prevalent in Chinese internet communities has made it easier for minors to dismiss harmful behavior as casual entertainment.

Implications and Outlook

Legal experts say the ruling sends a clear message about the responsibilities of group administrators in digital spaces. Under China’s Internet Group Information Service Management Regulations, group creators and managers are required to fulfill group management responsibilities, including regulating online behavior and information publishing.

The case also raises questions about platform responsibility and the scope of management obligations for group owners. While this ruling involves minors, the legal principles regarding group owner liability could potentially extend to adult group administrators as well.

For parents and educators, the case underscores the importance of digital citizenship education and monitoring minors’ online behavior. As Judge Yang noted, “truly what makes the victim suffer is often not the initial video dissemination, but the continuous watching, discussion, and spread that follows.” The ruling serves as a warning that online actions have real-world legal consequences — even in seemingly casual social settings.