On August 25, 2017, the CAC promulgated the Administrative Provisions on Internet Comment Threading Services and the Administrative Provisions on Internet Forum and Community Services, both of which took effect on October 1, 2017. As stipulated in the provisions, the online comment threading service providers are imposed on strict primary obligations such as verifying the authenticity of registered users’ identity information, protecting personal information of users, and developing systems to review comment threading on news information prior to the publication. In addition, the services providers may establish information review, real-time public information check, emergency response, personal information protection, and other information security administration systems. Furthermore, the service providers should not publish information in violation of PRC laws, regulations, and other relevant provisions. The Administrative Provisions on Internet Comment Threading Services was later amended on November 16, 2022 and took effect on December 15, 2022. The new amendment further clarifies the obligations of service providers of online comment threading. Service providers must regulate and manage users, producers, and operators of official accounts in accordance with user agreements. For users of comment threading services that release unlawful and detrimental content, the service providers must take necessary measures to manage such actions, such as giving warnings, refusing publication of comment, deleting comment, restricting account functions, suspending account updates, closing accounts, and prohibiting re-registration, and save relevant records; for producers and operators of official accounts that fail to fulfil their management obligations resulting in circulation of unlawful and detrimental information on the online comment threading, the service providers must take necessary measures to manage such actions, such as giving warnings, deleting relevant information, suspending the function of comment threading until the permanent closure of online comment threading area, restricting account functions, suspending account updates, closing accounts, and prohibiting re-registration, save relevant records, and promptly report to the cyberspace administration authorities. The new amendment defines “comment threading services” as services provided by internet websites, applications, and other online platforms of a public opinion nature or with the capacity to mobilize the public, for users to express text, code, emojis, pictures, audio, video, or other information through methods such as comments, responses, private messages, live streaming comments, likes, and so forth.
On September 7, 2017, the CAC promulgated the Administrative Provisions on the Information Services Provided Through Public Accounts of Internet Users, which was last amended on January 22, 2021 and took effect on February 22, 2021. It requires information service platforms for public accounts to, among others, establish and improve a management system for user registration, information content security, content ecology, data security, personal information protection, intellectual property protection, and credit assessment, and establish a monitoring and evaluation mechanism for public accounts to prevent data falsification on account subscriptions and interaction counts.
On December 15, 2019, the CAC promulgated the Provisions on the Ecological Governance of Internet Information Content, which took effect on March 1, 2020 and specifies the content scopes that are encouraged, prohibited, or prevented from producing, reproducing, and publishing. The internet information content producers must take measures to prevent and resist the production of content that, among others, uses exaggerated titles that are inconsistent with the content, may incite racism or discrimination against geographic region, and propagates scandals. The internet information content service platforms must fulfill the main responsibility of content management, establish an ecological governance mechanism of the internet information, and improve system for user registration, account management, information publishing review, and emergency response. The internet information content service users, internet information content producers, and internet information content service platforms cannot, through manual or technical means, conduct acts that destroy the internet ecosystem.
On June 27, 2022, the CAC promulgated the Administrative Provisions on the Account Information of Internet Users, which took effect on August 1, 2022. Internet-based information service providers that provide users with information release services, should provide and disclose the rules for the management of user accounts and platform conventions and enter into service agreements with users. Internet-based information service providers should authenticate the identification information of the users who apply for registration of accounts for production of information content in areas such as economics, education, medical care and health, and justice, and the service providers should require these users to provide relevant documents such as service qualification, professional qualification, and professional background information for verification and add a special label to the accounts that have been verified. Any internet-based information service provider in violation of these provisions should be punished in accordance with relevant laws and administrative regulations.
On September 9, 2022, the CAC, the MIIT, and the SAMR issued the Administrative Provisions on Internet Pop-up Push Notification Services, which took effect on September 30, 2022. The provisions require that internet pop-up push notification service providers should implement the responsibilities as subjects of information content management and establish and improve management systems for censoring of information content, ecological governance, data security, and personal information protection, and protection of minors.