Screengrab from a controversial Chinese live streaming footage showing a woman eating a banana "erotically." (Photo : Twitter)
A new report said that live streaming will explode in 2017, and it would be led by China. However, while live streaming in China in 2016 was mostly for entertainment purposes, in 2017, it would include news which would be consumed in real time.
Social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook are expected to promote live streaming further as a core feature of their platform, Joinfo reported.
200 New Streaming Platforms
In 2016, because of the slogan “Anybody can be a host,” around 200 Chinese streaming platforms cropped as live streaming rooms became available. Most of the live streamers were young women who sang and danced in front of the camera in their bedroom for hours.
However, they did not do it for free since they accepted payments or virtual gifts which could be as low as 1 yuan for a clap on YY Live. The phenomenon has created internet celebrities who could earn a lot by just live streaming their activities, although Chinese regulators placed a limit by banning the live streaming of women eating a banana.
Internet Celebrity Economy
CNBD estimated in June 2016 that China’s internet celebrity economy would be worth over 58 billion yuan in 2016. Chinese who want to be part of that economy have several platforms to choose from such as Yizhibo, Huajiao, Zaizhibo and Yingke. An iiMedia Research report said that half of China’s population, or about 235 million people, who access the Internet use live-streaming platforms, LA Times reported.
Perhaps because of the wide gender gap in China where there are 3 million more men than women, it explains why these platforms are mainly used by lonely hearts who seek emotional comfort and digital companionship. In contrast, most Americans use live-streaming platforms to view and broadcast events.
