Douyin's September 2026 rule changes place more weight on overall completion, saves, repeat visits, loyal-fan interaction, content quality and long-term account health. The platform is also tightening rules around AI-generated low-quality content, off-platform diversion, minors-related content, livestream health scores and merchant logistics. For international brands, the direction is clear: sustainable Chinese social media growth now depends on real value, compliance, stable operations and customer experience rather than one-off traffic spikes.