The internet content compliance refers to the Chinese government's requirements on how website operators and social media users can publish content, i.e., what content is not allowed and what content is encouraged to be published on a website.

Within China, network service providers and their users should abide by the requirements of Internet content supervision. The Chinese Government's regulatory standards are embodied in the following laws and regulations:

I. General Supervision

1. Regulations on Ecological Governance of Network Information (2019)

This Regulations aim to supervise the network information within the territory of China.

2. Administrative Regulations on Internet Publishing Services (2016)

This Regulations aim to regulate Internet publishing services within the territory of China. Internet publishing services refer to providing internet publications, i.e., the digital works, to the public via the Internet. 

3. Administrative Enforcement Procedures for the Administration of Internet-based Information Contents (2017)

This Administrative Enforcement Procedures aim to clarify the procedures for administrative sanctions for violations of laws and regulations related to the regulation of Internet-based information contents. 

4. Provisional Regulations for the Administration of Internet Culture (2017)

This Regulations aim to regulate the activities that provide Internet cultural products and services. There are two categories of Internet cultural products. One refers to music, television series, movies, cartoons, manga, and online games that are specially produced for the Internet. The other is to copy and distribute common cultural works to the Internet.

5. Administrative Measures for the Content Self-examination of Internet-based Cultural Business Units (2013)

This Administrative Measures aim to supervise the Internet-based cultural business units and require them to review the contents of cultural products and services in advance.

6. Administrative Measures on Internet-based Information Services (2011)

This Measures aim to supervise the services of information provision to Internet users through the Internet.

7. Administrative Measures for the Archival of Non-commercial Internet-based Information Services (2005)

The Measures aim to regulate activities that provide non-commercial Internet-based information services within the territory of China. It stipulates that services providers who engage in non-commercial Internet-based service shall file with the regulatory authorities for the record, while the Measures stipulate how to go through the record-filing procedures.

II. Classified Supervision

Regulatory authorities have formulated separate regulatory rules for different types of content and content posted on different platforms.

We list these rules in order from newest to oldest as follows:

1. Administrative Regulations on Online Audio and Video Information Services (2020)

This Administrative Regulations aim to supervise the online audio and video information services in China. 

2. Administrative Regulations on Micro-blogging Information Services (2018)

This Administrative Regulations aim to supervise the micro-blogging (similar to Twitter, mainly referring to Weibo in China) information services in China.

3. Regulations on the Security Assessment of Internet-based information services with Attributes of News and Public Opinion or Capable of Social Mobilization (2018)

This Regulations aim to regulate Internet-based information services with attributes of news and public opinion and social mobilization ability.

4. Administrative Provisions on Services for Internet Forums and Communities (2017)

This Provisions aim to regulate activities that engage in services for Internet forums and communities within the territory of China.

5. Administrative Regulations on Online Comment Posting Services (2017)

This Administrative Regulations aim to regulate the activities providing online comment posting within the territory of China. 

6. Administrative Provisions on the Information Services Provided through Online Chat Groups (2017)

This Administrative Provisions aim to regulate activities providing and using information services through online chat groups (products similar to WhatsApp Group/Facebook Groups, mainly referring to Wechat Group/QQ Group in China) within the territory of China. 

7. Administrative Provisions on the Information Services Provided through Official Accounts of Internet Users (2017)

This Administrative Provisions aim to regulate the activities providing and using Internet public accounts (products similar to Facebook Page, mainly referring to WeChat Official Account in China) to engage in Information publishing services within the territory of China.

8. Administrative Measures for Business Operations of Online Performance (2017)

The Measures aim to regulate business operations of online performance. Online performance refers to the online cultural products with on-site cultural and artistic performance and other activities as the main contents that are formed by real-time broadcasting or uploading and transmitting in the form of audio and video, via the internet, mobile communication networks, mobile internet, and other information networks.

9. Administrative Regulations on Internet Information Search Services (2016)

This Administrative Regulations aim to regulate activities that provide Internet information search services (products similar to google/bing, mainly referring to baidu in China) within the territory of China. 

10. Regulations on the Administration of Mobile Internet Application Information Services (2016)

This Regulations aim to regulate activities that provide information service through online applications (apps) and activities of app distribution services within the territory of China.

11. Administrative Regulations on Online Live Streaming Services (2016)

This Administrative Regulations aim to regulate the activities providing and using online live streaming within the territory of China.

12. Interim Provisions on the Administration of the Development of Public Information Services Provided via Instant Messengers (2014)

This Interim Provisions aim to regulate activities that provide public information services via instant messengers (products similar to WhatsApp/Skype, mainly referring to QQ/WeChat in China) within the territory of China. 

13. Announcement on Strengthening the Administration of Sale Information of Precursor Chemicals on the Internet (2010)

This Announcement requires that any entity to publish the sale information of non-pharmaceutical precursor chemicals shall have obtained qualification materials such as Business License, License for Production and Business for Non-pharmaceutical Precursor Chemicals, or filing certificate.

III. Special Supervision for Online News

1. Administrative Measures for the Content Management Practitioners of Internet News and Information Service Units (2017)

The Administrative Measures aim to supervise the personnel at the Internet news and information service units (hereinafter the “practitioners”) who are specialized in content management such as Internet news and information collection, editing, publishing, reproducing and examining. 

2. Implementation Rules for the Administration of the Licensing for Internet-based News Information Services (2017)

This Rules aim to make more specific regulations on the Administrative Regulations on Internet-based News Information Services. 

3. Regulations on the Security Assessment of New Technologies or New applications for Internet-based News information Services (2017)

This Regulations aim to clarify how to conduct security assessments of new technologies or new applications for Internet-based news information services. 

4. Provisions on the Interview of Entities Providing Internet News Information Services (2015)

The Provisions aim to clarify how the regulatory authorities meet the relevant person in charge of the Internet Information and conduct a conversation involving a warning, point out the problems, or issue an order of rectification or correction, when an entity providing internet news information services commits a serious violation of the law or regulation.

5. Provisional Administrative Provisions on Engagement by Internet Websites in the Business of News Publication (2000)

The Provisions aim to regulate the publication and reproducing of news on the Internet within the territory of China. It requires that Only the news websites established by the news entity directly under the central State authorities or local authorities may engage in news publication business upon approval.

IV. Special Supervision for Internet Audio-visual Program

1. Notice on Further Regulating the Order of Online Communications for Internet-based Audio-visual Programs (2018)

This notice aims to regulate the following activities: (1) audio-visual program websites illegally capture, cut, stitch and adapt the audio-visual programs; (2) production and release of online video clips and trailers; and (3) radio and tv programs and online audio-visual programs accept titles and sponsorships.

2. Notice on Strengthening the Administration of Internet Audio-visual Programs Involving Pharmaceutical Advertising (2017)

This Notice aims to require the local regulatory authorities to conduct a comprehensive review of advertisements and audio-visual programs relating to the promotion of pharmaceutical products on the websites within their jurisdictions, in order to avoid advertisements that mislead consumers by using false medical spokespersons.

3. Supplementary Notice on Further Improving the Management of Internet-based Audio-visual Programs such as Web Series and Micro-movies (2014)

This Supplementary Notice aims to regulate the production and broadcast of Internet-based audio-visual programs such as web series and micro-movies.

4. The Notice on Strengthening the Administration of the Internet Audio-visual Program Contents (2009)

This Notice aims to require the Internet audio-visual program service entities not to publish illegal contents, and to timely edit or delete the audio-visual programs that do not conform to the social public morals.

5. Administrative Provisions on Internet-based Audio-visual Program Services (2008)

This Provisions aim to regulate the audio-visual service, namely activities that provide audio-visual programs to the public via the Internet, and provide people with the service of uploading and spreading the audio-visual program.