China Drafts Rules on Security Reviews for Apps Influencing Public Opinion

China’s cyber regulatory physique issued on Wednesday draft guidelines governing cellular apps, together with a requirement for safety critiques of apps whose features may affect public opinion.

The proposed rules are a part of a marketing campaign run by the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) over the previous 12 months to extend oversight of the nation’s tech firms.

The public has been invited to offer suggestions on the draft guidelines by January 20.

The proposals would require utility suppliers to hold out a safety evaluation earlier than launching “new technologies, new applications, and new functions” able to influencing opinion or mobilising the general public.

The CAC didn’t specify any particular apps or define the safety evaluation course of apart from to say it needs to be carried out in accordance with nationwide rules.

The proposed guidelines would apply to “text, picture, voice, video, and other information production”, in addition to prompt messaging, information dissemination, discussion board communities, livestreaming, and e-commerce, the regulator stated.

The regulator added that cellular app suppliers should not conduct actions that endanger nationwide safety, or pressure customers to share non-essential private info.

News apps should get hold of licenses granting permission to publish information, it stated.

Over the previous 12 months, Chinese authorities have tightened rules throughout quite a few industries, starting from gaming to actual property to schooling.

The CAC has led quite a few initiatives focusing on the nation’s tech sector.

On Tuesday, CAC introduced it could implement two new guidelines. One rule requires platform firms with over 1 million customers to endure safety assessments earlier than itemizing abroad, which might take impact in February. The different rule governs firms’ use of advice algorithms, which might take impact in March.

© Thomson Reuters 2022