Livestreaming could very well be recognized as a profession today, yet licensing requirements for Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) may need to be determined based on specific fields of operation.

Can livestreaming be considered a job?

While livestreaming is not yet officially recognized as a profession, China already has a state-run association supporting this field, with around 15 million livestreamers or "wangluo zhubo" as of late 2023. Since livestreaming is not yet acknowledged as an official profession, livestreamers currently cannot access government resources like training or career development programs. This may change soon, however, as China’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security recently announced that livestreaming is one of 19 fields slated for official recognition as a profession.

This shift aligns with China’s efforts to boost its job market amid rising youth unemployment and economic growth challenges both domestically and globally.

In an interview with VietNamNet, Dr. Pham Kim Thu, President of Friendship College - which offers livestream training programs - stated that livestreaming should be considered a career in today’s context.

Dr. Thu pointed out that the growth of the internet, social media, and streaming platforms like YouTube, Facebook, X, and TikTok allows many people to make a living by livestreaming content.

This field holds substantial potential, especially for those who can attract viewers through engaging, creative content and interactive skills. Dr. Thu outlined the factors that make livestreaming viable as a profession:

1. Multiple Income Sources: Livestreamers can earn revenue from ads, sponsorships, viewer donations, sales (e.g., livestream selling), or even pay-per-view content.

2. Personal Branding: Many use livestreaming to build and promote personal or business brands, attracting followers through their professionalism, style, and distinctive content.

3. Skill and Time Requirements: Success in livestreaming demands communication and audience engagement skills, content planning, creativity, and technical knowledge. It requires significant time and effort.

4. Legal and Infrastructural Recognition: Many countries are starting to regulate livestreaming as a legitimate occupation, acknowledging it with tax and legal frameworks.

Thu believes that livestreaming has all the hallmarks of a profession when developed with a solid strategy.

Vo Quoc Hung, Growth Director at Tonkin Media, agreed, noting that in the short and medium term, it’s unlikely any field will replace livestreaming as a source of influence, thus it can indeed be viewed as a profession. However, Hung suggests setting specific standards for necessary skills and training, as well as awareness about the impact livestreamers have on audiences.

Is licensing for livestreaming necessary?

Some KOLs livestream product promotions, like medicines, despite lacking relevant expertise, which raises concerns about whether KOLs need certificates to operate legally in the field.

Dr. Pham Kim Thu feels that licensing should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. While livestreaming fosters free expression and interaction, some specific areas may need stricter regulation.

For example:

- Sales and E-Commerce: For livestreaming sales or other business-oriented activities, requiring a permit or at least a business registration could ensure transparency, protect consumers, and create fair business competition. This would also help tax authorities track income from such activities.

- Sensitive Content Management: Livestreams covering topics like politics, health, or education may require a license to ensure quality and prevent misinformation or community harm.

- Intellectual Property: Livestreamers using copyrighted content (music, video, images) should secure permissions to avoid copyright violations.

However, Thu added that no permits would be necessary for non-commercial, personal livestreams, such as those focused on social interaction, personal experience sharing, or casual entertainment, which respects individuals’ rights to self-expression without administrative obstacles.

Nonprofit or community education livestreams could also be exempt from licensing, provided they comply with content regulations.

Vo Quoc Hung suggested that specific fields might need licenses. According to him, while people used to worry about bureaucracy in licensing, transparency has improved. A well-defined set of standards can allow qualified KOLs and livestreamers to obtain licenses for their work.

Yet, Le Ba Hai Sieu, a breakthrough growth strategist, argued that livestreaming is simple enough that licensing is unnecessary. “Whether livestreamers are selling goods or using a third-party platform to do so, what matters is enforcing stricter penalties for violations, as stronger fines could lead to greater compliance,” Sieu said.

Sieu recommended social listening technology to track and penalize violators, avoiding excessive red tape in the online economy.

Nguyen Duy Vi, CEO of Buzi Agency, agreed, proposing a supervisory mechanism rather than licenses for livestreaming. Regulatory bodies could monitor livestreamers, addressing complaints and immediately handling violations, which he believes would be more straightforward than a licensing requirement.

He also suggested that the government could promote exemplary KOLs who follow regulations and use positive role models to help weed out negative influences in the industry.

Le My