New rule seeks to stop abuse of China’s child fashion models
- Authorities in e-commerce hub in Zhejiang province take action after public expresses outrage as slew of reports of abuse appear online
- Regulation limits number of hours, days youngsters can work and bans brands from using children under 10 as spokespeople
A new regulation designed to protect child models from abuse and exploitation has been introduced in an east China e-commerce hub.
Under the new ruling, announced by authorities in the Binjiang district of Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, online retailers are banned from using children under the age of 10 as spokespeople for their products and cannot make them work for more than four hours in a single session.
Also, children should not be made to model clothes that are unsuitable for their age group or be asked to pose in a provocative or adult manner.
The new regulation – drawn up by the Binjiang prosecutors office, the district’s market regulation bureau and the local branch of the Communist Youth League – was published on Weibo, China’s Twitter-like platform, earlier this week.
The notice said also that people involved in the modelling sessions must not beat or scold their young charges, and should not ask them to work for more than five days in a row to ensure they do not miss too much schooling.
The regulation comes amid growing concern about the pressures being put on child models in China.