China announced new rules for apps that influence public opinion

On Wednesday, Chinese cyberspace officials suggested a security review of applications that can impact public opinion. The move furthers Beijing’s wish to monitor and control the already highly restricted internet nationwide.

So far, the officials haven’t pointed out any specific apps or technologies to be reviewed that are influencing public opinion.

What is CAC trying to do with its latest rules in China?

CAC, the increasingly influential Cyberspace Administration of China, has announced the latest rules as part of a draft regulation that aims to clear a framework for app developers launching related apps.

The press says China intends to introduce new rules for its app makers, telling them not to use their software for activities that may threaten national security or disrupt the social order.

New laws by CAC also scrutinize the vastly state-backed and highly censored Chinese news landscape. From now on, any news information app must also require a license approved by the regulators.

From cybersecurity to antitrust, China has tightened rules over its national technology sector over the past few years.

CAC’s latest set of rules for the domestic technology sector of China

Only some of the rules announced by CAC are new, but the regulatory body combines the new strict laws with already-running rules and regulations to form a single set of rules. Therefore, much of it has been introduced previously.

Some new additions to China’s already passed landmark personal data protection law were also announced on Wednesday. For instance, app developers must focus on users’ data protection first.

The Wednesday draft of CAC emphasized that users must be asked for their real identity before signing up. This has become mandatory in China, where real identity is associated with national ID cards and personally registered mobile phone numbers.

CAC did not provide an exact date of function for these new rules, but the body said the rules are open to public comment and will come into operation this year.