A circular by China’s top media and television watchdog requiring content providers to cut content related to one-night stands, sexual abuse and extramarital affairs from video streaming websites has sparked heated discussion.

According to a report by entertainment news website ent.qq.com, the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television (SAPPRFT) circular stipulated that programs depicting extramarital affairs, polyamorous relationship, one-night stands, sexual abuse, or containing pornographic content should be cut or deleted.

It also said that video depicting rape, fornication, necrophilia, prostitution or masturbation also should be cut.

Video websites are required to remove headlines with text or pictures referring to sex and nudity. Plots depicting violent murder, suicides, kidnapping, drug abuse, gambling or supernatural occurrences should be cut.

SAPPRFT said that websites should closely examine videos with tags like “hot dancing,” “beauties” and “originals.”

A great deal of sexually suggestive content is likely to be taken down, reported news portal ent.163.com.

“Media regulators used to have loose regulations on [these] programs, so that the public is often exposed to contents related to sex, violence and murder,” Tan Tian, a professor at Jinan University, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

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