Beijing to create comprehensive regulatory system for algorithms

Beijing to create comprehensive regulatory system for algorithms

Beijing, Oct. 23, 2021

Beijing has taken another step toward regulating algorithms, the codes that control artificial intelligence.

China’s Cyberspace Administration (CAC), which under Xí Jìnpíng has become the country’s most powerful Internet regulatory, monitoring and censorship agency, has announced the government’s intention to create a comprehensive regulatory system for algorithms within the next three years.

The announcement came a month after the CAC released draft guidelines for the use of algorithms by Internet companies.

The announcement sets the three-year period within which the CAC itself and all other government organizations and companies must establish relevant rules and get their houses in order.

The CAC also affirmed the national security and ideological components of the campaign: like people, algorithms must be censored, loyal to the party-state, and follow the Xi Jinping idea of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

The announcement specifically concerns „algorithms for Internet information services“ and appears to be aimed at Internet companies targeting consumers.

The new announcement provides few details, but some of the intentions were already explained in the previously released draft regulations. These include requirements for Internet companies to:

► provide users with tools to manage the data that algorithms use to create profiles (e.g., search and purchase histories);

► stop using algorithms to promote sales to minors and cause Internet addiction;

stop using algorithms to dictate brutal working conditions for delivery drivers and other gig workers.