China imposed new rules on tech companies to control “ideological security”

Five Chinese ministries jointly published guidelines for the regulation of “Internet information service algorithms” they pose “Challenges to safeguard ideological security and social justice”, Chinese media reported today.

Los ministerios (Educación, Ciencia, Industria, Seguridad Pública y Cultura), además de la Administración del Ciberespacio de China, reconocen que los algoritmos “han desempeñado un papel important in the dissemination of information, the prosperity of the digital economy and the promotion of social development “.

However, the “The irrational application of algorithms also affects the normal order of communication and the rights and legitimate interests of Internet users”, warns a joint statement from the five departments that now collect local media.

For this reason, the guidelines set the objective of establishing “a strong oversight mechanism” which results in “fair, open and transparent” application of the algorithms. “This will vigorously promote research into algorithmic innovations … and improve the core competitiveness of Chinese algorithms,” the regulator added.

Standards they will prohibit algorithms from “interfering in public opinion, suppressing competitors or endangering economic development and social management”.

The guidelines, currently out for consultation, were released on the 17th but had not received extensive comment in Chinese media.

Algorithms are widely used by Chinese tech companies, including recommendations used by Taobao, Alibaba’s e-commerce marketplace; ByteDance’s Douyin short video application; Kuuaishou, supported by Tencent; and those of delivery, such as those used by the Meituan and Ele.me platforms, owned by Alibaba.

In August, the China Cyberspace Administration (CAC) released comprehensive draft guidelines for regulating algorithms, including proposals that companies do not establish models that lead users to spend large sums of money and that ‘there is the possibility of easily deactivating the services.

Algorithms are in the crosshairs of regulators around the world. The White House has asked tech companies to change them to remove fake news, while the European Union has crafted rules that threaten to impose fines on big tech if they don’t do more to tackle illegal content.

In recent months, Chinese regulators have set their sights on the country’s big tech companies, with penalties for companies like e-commerce giant Alibaba worth 18.2 billion yuan ($ 2.818 billion), the biggest antitrust fine in the country’s history.

The campaign reached out to transport companies, the education sector, the video game sector and the techno-financial sector.

Chinese President Xi Jinping said in August that the Communist Party should “guide and supervise enterprises” and implement “effective regulations and precise standards” in order to “serve the general interests of economic development.”

(With information from EFE and Reuters)

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