BabyBus was fined 300,000 yuan for the "Three Women Serving One Husband" advertisement, which was produced by a Xiaomi-affiliated company.

Recently, BabyBus (Fujian) Network Technology Co., Ltd. was fined 300,000 yuan by the Cangshan District Market Supervision Administration in Fuzhou City for publishing vulgar advertisements, and 3.68 yuan in illegal gains were confiscated.

BabyBus “Shifting Blame” to Third Parties

The incident originated from multiple parents’实名举报 (verified reports) in October 2025. Some parents reported that the “BabyBus Children’s Songs” app frequently displayed vulgar ads during use, with some ad titles being explicit and content violating public order and morals. Clicking on these ads would also redirect to borderline videos. For young children whose minds are not yet mature, such vulgar content can easily distort their values and harm a healthy growth environment.

After the incident was exposed, BabyBus Co., Ltd. issued an apology and rectification statement, stating that the relevant ads were accessed through third-party platforms, which have now been taken offline, and整改 (rectification) has been initiated.

People’s Daily commented that even if the problematic ads were served via third-party platforms, BabyBus cannot shirk responsibility. They must be accountable, including ensuring the ad review mechanism functions properly and intercepting problematic ads. Advertising law clearly states, “Advertisements should be truthful and legal, expressed in a healthy manner.”

According to advertising law, “Using the internet to publish or send advertisements must not affect users’ normal use of the network. Ads displayed on web pages in pop-up or similar formats should clearly indicate a close button, ensuring one-click closure.” Whether the ads interfere with normal network use or cannot be closed with one click, they reveal potential illegal conduct by the platform and advertisers.

Therefore, BabyBus cannot simply “shift blame” to third parties. Claiming that issues are caused by third-party providers is unconvincing.

Ads from Xiaomi-Related Companies

The National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System shows that, upon investigation, BabyBus Co., Ltd. developed the “BabyBus Children’s Songs” app in 2017, which is a children’s audio and video playback platform.

On March 17, 2025, BabyBus Co., Ltd. signed the “Xiaomi Mobile Advertising Alliance Membership Service Agreement” with Shenzhen Xiaomi Information Technology Co., Ltd. BabyBus integrated its mobile app advertising resources via SDK and other methods into Xiaomi’s ad platform, providing display pages and placement. BabyBus (Fujian) Network Technology Co., Ltd., under the agreement with BabyBus Co., Ltd., handled the specific operations of the “BabyBus Children’s Songs” app, including app release, promotion, updates, daily data monitoring, user inquiries, marketing execution, and ad placement.

During operation, staff at BabyBus (Fujian) Network Technology Co., Ltd. failed to promptly review the ad content pushed by Shenzhen Xiaomi Information Technology Co., Ltd., which included text and images with titles like “Three women serving one man, 500,000 yuan monthly living expenses, rotating companionship two days a week,” leading to the display of illegal ads in the “BabyBus Children’s Songs” app.

Regulatory authorities pointed out that the content of these ads severely violated social norms and had a negative impact on the app’s target audience (mainly young children).

The fine of 300,000 yuan, contrasted with only 3.68 yuan in illegal gains, sends a clear regulatory signal: the responsibility for ad review in children’s apps cannot be transferred. Even if ads are provided by third-party platforms, BabyBus, as the content operator, cannot use “third-party access” as an excuse to shirk review obligations.

Over 70% of Revenue Comes from Advertising

Founded in 2009, BabyBus is a provider of digital educational content for children aged 0-8, mainly engaged in developing, producing, and operating audio, video, and apps.

In July 2021, BabyBus attempted an IPO on the ChiNext board but was later terminated by the Shenzhen Stock Exchange. The prospectus shows that advertising monetization is its main revenue source, accounting for over 70%.

The prospectus indicates that from 2018 to 2020, BabyBus’s revenue was 254 million yuan, 526 million yuan, and 649 million yuan, respectively. Revenue from app cooperation and promotion was 185 million yuan, 383 million yuan, and 498 million yuan, respectively, accounting for 72.7%, 72.87%, and 76.76% of total revenue.

Additionally, BabyBus heavily relies on major advertisers, with about half of its revenue for three consecutive years coming from Baidu. In 2020, Baidu contributed 50.74% of BabyBus’s total revenue. The top five clients include Baidu, Google, Tencent, Beijing Wanyu Jiuxin Technology Co., Ltd., and ByteDance.

BabyBus owns IP characters such as “Super Baby JoJo,” “Qiqi,” “Miaomiao,” and “Monkey Police,” mainly through audio, video, and apps, focusing on early childhood development areas like health, emotional intelligence, social culture, scientific exploration, and artistic creation. By June 2021, BabyBus had over 200 apps, which may pose a significant risk.

According to the Ministry of Education’s previous “Opinions on Guiding and Regulating the Healthy Development of Educational Mobile Internet Applications,” educational apps are not allowed to embed commercial ads or games; policies also prohibit online training for children aged 3-6.

In February 2022, the Beijing Municipal Education Commission issued a draft “Notice on Further Improving the Filing and Management of Educational Mobile Internet Applications,” proposing to suspend all preschool education apps to implement the “double reduction” policy.

Tianyancha shows that the company has been sued multiple times for copyright ownership, infringement disputes, and violations of the right to communicate works online.

Children’s apps have a special audience, and content safety directly affects minors’ physical and mental health. This is an industry bottom line that no entity can ignore.

(Content compiled from Xinhua News Agency, People’s Daily, National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System, etc.)