Summary of Key Points
Recently, Bilibili has been exposed for pushing borderline content to minors, including those who are not logged in or have just registered new accounts, which has led to dissatisfaction among users (both adults and children) regarding the platform’s review processes and content distribution mechanisms. Although Bilibili’s customer service claims to have implemented measures to address this issue, users report that reports go unheeded, there is an overabundance of accounts selling sexual content, and even legitimate accounts are mistakenly blocked. This situation reflects Bilibili’s anxiety about user growth under the pressure to generate profits. Despite achieving its first annual profit in 2025 and seeing record-high user engagement times, the platform seems to be relying on borderline content to attract users, which contradicts CEO Chen Rui’s slogan that “high-quality content is at the core.” Experts criticize Bilibili for not making an effort to regulate this behavior and suggest that focusing on high-quality content would be a more effective way to retain users.
How Borderline Content Gets Through the Filters to Minors?
The scenarios in which borderline content is pushed are more widespread than one might imagine:
- Impact on Unlogged-in/Newly Registered Users: Accounts created with the identity of someone born in 2019 can see videos with titles like “highly explicit scenes,” “extreme censorship,” and “intimate close-ups” as soon as they browse the homepage. Even when not logged in, the homepage still displays content that may be considered pornographic.
- Inductive Search Results: Searching for terms like “ascetic lifestyle” will trigger suggestive keywords such as “chest-clamping poses,” “yoga in bed,” and “Xin Nai’s swimsuits.” Searching for “football” can also result in inappropriate content for minors.
- Increased Frequency at Night: Many users have noticed that borderline videos and live streams appear more frequently at night. For example, when looking for sleep aid videos, users end up finding borderline content instead.
The Dilemma for Users: Minors Are Misled, and Adults Are Harassed
Not only minors but also adult users are affected negatively:
- Parents’ Concerns: Experienced users warn others against letting their children use Bilibili, as the platform’s anime series attract teenagers. However, comment sections often contain links to pornographic websites, and although these comments are deleted, the selling accounts remain active.
- Adults Being Forced to Accept Borderline Content: Female users who watch knowledge-based content or film reviews also receive promotions for borderline-themed figurines and live streams. While there was little borderline content in 2021, it has now become widespread, leading to a proliferation of low-quality material that requires users to use the platform with a specific purpose in mind.
- Misuse of Accounts by Content Sellers: Blocking content sellers results in their accounts being marked as “high-risk” and requiring real-name verification. When users complain about these sellers, their own accounts may be blocked. Some users who want to refund their membership fees are refused on the grounds that refunds are not available after account activation.
Bilibili’s Responses: Many Measures, but Poor Effectiveness
In response to these issues, Bilibili’s customer service offers solutions that only address the symptoms, not the root causes:
- Reporting and “Not Interested” Options: Users are told to report problematic content or simply click “not interested,” but reports do not seem to make a difference, and the system continues to push similar content.
- Minors’ Mode: The service suggests enabling a “minors’ mode,” but unlogged-in and newly registered users (who have not enabled this mode) can still view borderline content, indicating that the issue has not been effectively resolved.
- Contractual Restrictions: Refunds for membership fees are denied on the grounds that “premium accounts cannot be refunded,” ignoring users’ legitimate requests due to poor content quality.
The Anxiety Behind Profits: Trading Borderline Content for Traffic, Contradicting the Promise of High-Quality Content
Bilibili reported its first annual profit in 2025 and continued to be profitable in the first quarter of 2026, with impressive user numbers: 113 million daily active users (DAU) and 366 million monthly active users (MAU), and an average daily usage time of 119 minutes (a 19% increase year-over-year). However, these growth figures may be inflated due to the use of borderline content:
- Attracting Users with Borderline Content: Analysts believe that Bilibili is using low-quality content to attract and retain users, out of fear of losing them.
- Contradiction with CEO’s Speeches: Chen Rui stated in the platform’s 17th anniversary celebration that high-quality content is essential for sustainable growth, but the actual practice contradicts this statement.
Experts’ Views: Not That Bilibili Can’t Regulate, But Doesn’t Want to
Industry commentator Zhang Shule points out that:
- Low Barriers to Regulation: High-quality content could be used to retain users instead of borderline content. Additionally, Bilibili could use features like “after-school usage times” and holidays to identify and verify the age of new accounts more effectively.
- Lack of Effort: Bilibili’s repeated failures suggest that it is not unable to regulate the issue; rather, it chooses not to put in the necessary effort. Borderline content generates quick traffic, while high-quality content requires long-term investment with no immediate returns.
In summary, for Bilibili to achieve sustainable growth, it must genuinely commit to providing high-quality content and move from a slogan to actual action. Otherwise, it will lose both its existing user base and harm minors.