Democracy News

China Creates New Internet Regulatory Office
May 16, 2011
By: Carlos Aramayo | Printer Friendly

On May 5, China set up a new office to supervise the use of the Internet in the country, as part of an enhanced effort by the government to tighten control over the world’s largest online community. The State Internet Information Office will be headed by Wang Chen, director of the State Council Information Office, BBC News reported.

The new office, created under the cabinet, will oversee efforts to “strengthen management of Internet content,” and is responsible for “day-to-day regulation” of news and related services, Reuters reported. The office will also be responsible for coordinating the development of “key news sites,” enforcing sanctions, monitoring online games and videos and supervising Internet networks and addresses.

 China’s Internet surveillance system, also known as the “Great Firewall,” requires domestic Internet service providers to self-censor content deemed unacceptable by the government. In addition the system blocks overseas services such as Google, YouTube and Facebook.

According to BBC News, it remains unclear how the new office will share work with the various industry regulators already in place, which include the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Ministry of Culture and the General Administration of Press and Publication.

The New York Times reported that the new office may be a way for the government to “formalize” these controls. In an interview with Duncan Clark, chairman of the BDA advising company in China, he stated that this is “part of a pattern of elevated controls and heightened alert that will continue through at least this year, it is a reflection of the government’s concern about the Internet.”

Reuters reports that China had 457 million Internet users at the end of 2010. That number is more than the combined populations of the United States and Japan. However, as anti-government protests escalated in the Middle East and North Africa in February 2011, Chinese internet users were unable to search for content about Egypt on microblog services offered by domestic companies.

Previously, on March 20, the New York Times reported that Google accused China of disrupting its Gmail email service and disguising the blockage as technical issues on the part of the United States-based company. “There is no issue on our side; we have checked extensively,” Google said in a statement. “This is a government blockage, carefully designed to look like the problem is with Gmail.” In response, Jiang Yu, a spokeswoman for China’s Foreign Ministry, said at the time that the claim was “unacceptable.”

Google’s accusations come about a year after Google removed its Chinese language Internet search engine from China and relocated it to Hong Kong, where Beijing has few controls.

Despite the restrictions, the New York Times reported that domestic Chinese social networking companies are booming. The article also identifies that “the government may try to turn microblogs to its benefit, monitoring comments and traffic to take the pulse of the nation, and perhaps even anticipate and respond to signs of social discontent.”

For previous news on China please see:
China Introduces New Controls on Internet Use

Sources:
New York Times – Google Accuses Chinese of Blocking Gmail Service

New York Times – Google Shuts China Site in Dispute Over Censorship

BBC News – China tightens internet censorship controls

Reuters – China sets up agency to tighten grip on Internet