Campaign launched to combat online copyright infringement and piracy

China has launched a nationwide campaign to crack down on online copyright infringement and piracy, with a focus on films and TV dramas, cultural and creative products, books and artificial intelligence-related copyright violations.

The campaign, named "Sword Net 2026", places AI-related copyright governance among its priorities. Authorities will promote copyright compliance in training materials for large AI models and investigate illegal copying, adaptation and dissemination of works using AI and other new technologies. They will also target unauthorized "remixing", plagiarism-like rewriting, deepfakes and attempts to evade monitoring.

The campaign was launched by the National Copyright Administration, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Public Security and the Cyberspace Administration of China. It marks the 22nd time the four departments have carried out targeted action on key works and major online platforms.

Running from June to November, the campaign will address online piracy problems that have drawn strong public concern covering the areas including films and TV dramas, cultural and creative products, books and AI-related copyright violations, further regulate online copyright distribution and support the development of new quality productive forces, the authorities said.

In the film and TV sector, the campaign will target online platforms such as cloud storage services, browsers and search engines that provide or facilitate access to pirated video resources. It will also crack down on unauthorized uploading, cutting, editing, adaptation and online distribution of films and TV works, as well as piracy involving livestreaming, traffic diversion and smart streaming terminals such as TV set-top boxes.

For cultural and creative products, authorities will focus on plagiarism, copycat products, false copyright registration, imitation of well-known intellectual property, fake IP collaborations and forged authorization, especially when infringing products are sold through livestreaming, e-commerce, tourist sites and areas around schools. The campaign also aims to address unclear authorization chains and rights management.

Book piracy is another priority of the campaign. Authorities will target piracy involving bestsellers, long-selling books, children's books, textbooks and teaching materials, as well as the sale of pirated books, e-book resources and cloud storage account information containing e-books through e-commerce, livestreaming and short-video platforms. Key targets include on-demand pirated printing, mixed sales of genuine and pirated books, malicious channel disruption, and online traffic diversion for pirated books and e-book resources.

An official with the National Copyright Administration said the campaign aims to improve copyright order in key sectors, support innovation in the cultural industry, promote reading, improve copyright protection in emerging fields and further stimulate creativity across society.

The campaign will focus on case investigation and enforcement. Rights holders and internet users are encouraged to report clues involving copyright infringement and piracy.

The four departments will guide relevant companies to improve internal copyright management systems and operate in compliance with the law. Those who make piracy a business or seriously disrupt the online copyright order will be punished severely, the official said.