China Justice Observer

中司观察

EnglishArabicChinese (Simplified)DutchFrenchGermanHindiItalianJapaneseKoreanPortugueseRussianSpanishSwedishHebrewIndonesianVietnameseThaiTurkishMalay

China Issues Regulations to Protect Minor Online

Thu, 14 Dec 2023
Categories: China Legal Trends

On 16 Oct. 2023, China’s State Council promulgated the “Regulations on Minors’ Internet Protection” (hereinafter the “Regulations”, 未成年人网络保护条例).

The Regulations aims to clarify what cyber information is suitable for minors, protect their personal information, and curb internet addiction among minors.

Statistics indicate that as of June 2023, the number of internet users in China has reached 1.079 billion, of which more than 191 million are minors.

The Regulations refines existing rules from the Law on the Protection of Minors, the Law on the Protection of Personal Information, and the Law on Cybersecurity, taking into account the characteristics of minors. The highlights are as follows:

  • The production, reproduction, publication, and distribution of online information that may harm the physical and mental health of minors is prohibited;
  • The production, reproduction, publication, and distribution or possession of obscene and pornographic online information about minors is prohibited;
  • Online service providers shall require minors or their guardians to provide true identity information of the minors before offering online services; otherwise, services should not be provided to minors;
  • Personal information processors shall conduct an annual compliance audit on the handling of minors’ personal information, and report the audit information to the regulatory authorities in a timely manner; and
  • Online products and service providers shall not offer products and services that are addictive to minors and shall reasonably limit the amount of single consumption and daily cumulative consumption of minors in the use of their services, depending on the age of the minors.

 

 

Photo by 五玄土 ORIENTO on Unsplash

Contributors: CJO Staff Contributors Team

Save as PDF

You might also like

SPC Launches Diversified Dispute Resolution Case Database

In February 2025, China's Supreme People's Court launched a public “Diversified Dispute Resolution Case Database” with over 200 cases, showcasing mediation and arbitration examples across various dispute types to guide alternative dispute resolution.

Beijing Passes Autonomous Vehicle Regulation

In December 2024, Beijing passed the "Beijing Autonomous Vehicle Regulation", effective April 1, 2025, to promote development and safety, allowing self-driving cars in taxis, buses, and more after rigorous testing.

SPC Revises Rules on Mainland China - Taiwan Judgment Recognition

China’s Supreme People’s Court (SPC) has amended regulations on the mutual recognition and enforcement of civil judgments between Mainland China and Taiwan, clarifying application procedures, exceptions, and jurisdictional conflicts, effective January 1, 2025.

China Establishes Shanghai International Commercial Court

The Shanghai International Commercial Court was established in December 2024 as a division of the Shanghai First Intermediate People’s Court, with exclusive jurisdiction over foreign-related commercial cases and arbitration judicial review, along with newly released jurisdictional regulations and model clauses.