China cyberspace watchdog revises rules governing mobile apps

The Cyberspace Administration of China has revised rules governing mobile apps and their distributing platforms, which will take effect from 1 August 2022.   According to the statement on its website, the regulations established by the authority prohibit mobile app providers and distribution platforms to use apps to conduct activities that endanger national security, disrupt social order, and infringe on the legitimate rights and interests of others. Apps with functions that could possibly influence public opinion will need to seek security inspection.

As for registration of users, mobile app providers shall conduct identity verifications based on users’ mobile numbers, ID numbers, or unified social credit codes. Users who do not provide real identity information, or fraudulently use the identity information of organisations and others for false registration, shall not be offered relevant services.  App providers who provide online news information services through applications shall obtain an “online news information service license”, and are prohibited from conducting related activities without permission or beyond the scope of the license.

If the providers wish to provide other online information services, they must be reviewed and approved by the relevant authorities or have obtained relevant licenses in accordance with the law, and the services can only be provided upon approval, according to the regulations. App providers are also not allowed to induce users to download illegal or indecent information through false propaganda, “machine or manual brushing” and reviewing.

Moreover, app providers have been asked to establish and improve content review and management mechanisms, such as user registration, account management, information review, routine inspections, and emergency response, and provide professionals and technical capabilities commensurate with the scale of services.

In terms of app distribution platforms, the authority said those platforms should strengthen the daily management of apps, and deal with fraudulent data containing illegal information. They should not provide services for apps that contain hidden data security risks, illegal collection and use of personal information.

For apps that breach these regulations, the corresponding distribution platform shall certain actions such as warning, suspending services, and removing them according to the law, to keep records and report to the authority.

In June last year, the Cyberspace Administration of China said in a statement that it was pursuing a two-month campaign to discipline online fan clubs, aiming at putting an end to the problems arising from these platforms, according to a report from the South China Morning Post. 

The CAC was looking to crack down on a number of activities, such as inducing minors to contribute money to their idols, conducing online abuse or doxxing, stopping activities that encourage fans to flaunt their wealth, manipulate comments on social media, making up topics online to hijack public opinion, as well as using bots to increase traffic data related to their idols. When to comes to implementation, CAC said it will shut down accounts and disband social media groups that may have bad influence, as well as punish internet platforms that failed to correct these activities or even indulge them.

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