What do a child doing homework, a young man eating dinner and a female "anchorwoman" belting out pop songs have in common?

They are among the millions of Chinese live-streaming what, to some, appear to be menial, banal tasks, but for the hundreds of thousands of people who tune in everyday, there is a certain charm that keeps them coming back for more.

Live streaming generates huge profits for the host websites and catapults many "presenters" to overnight fame, while lining their pockets. However, the runaway success of streaming has the authorities concerned, as the service is being misused to spread obscene and violent content.