China’s revised Public Security Administration Punishment Law has come into effect, according to multiple media outlets, and expands the scope of administrative penalties for a widened range of misdemeanours. These include juvenile delinquency, sharing obscene materials, noise pollution, unauthorised drone operations, throwing objects from buildings and failure to control an aggressive dog.
At the same time, the amendments stipulate that records of public security violations be sealed – a move aimed at preventing lifelong stigma arising from minor offences.
The new juvenile delinquency rules mean that minors as young as 14 with two or more violations in a year, could now be sent to a rehabilitation facility. First-time offenders as young as 16 can be sent to a juvenile centre if their offence is deemed serious enough.
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Authorities said the amendments were intended to address cases in which some minors exploit age-related legal protections to repeatedly commit offences.
Also new are the amendments relating to the dissemination of sexually suggestive content and obscene materials. Individuals who share obscene content using any device now face up to 15 days detention, along with increased fines to a maximum of 5,000 yuan. Previously, the law’s wording required dissemination via a computer for penalties to be imposed.
According to the Global Times, the revised law “corrects a long-standing public misconception that private sharing of obscene content is merely a moral issue rather than a legal one.” It continued: “Notably, sending explicit photos or videos, even if in private chats, once reported and verified, may lead to legal penalties.”
