Provisional Regulations for the Development and Management of Instant Messaging Tools and Public Information Services

Article 1: In order to further promote the healthy and orderly development of instant messaging tools and public information services, protect the lawful rights and interests of citizens, legal persons and other organizations, safeguard national security and the public interest, on the basis of the “NPC Standing Committee Decision concerning Safeguarding Internet Security”, the “NPC Standing Committee Decision concerning Strengthening the Protection of Online Information”, the “Interpretation concerning Some Questions of Applicable Law When Handling Uses of Information Networks to Commit Defamation and Other Such Criminal Cases”, the “Internet Information Service Management Rules”, the “Internet News Information Service Management Regulations” and other such laws and regulations, these Regulations are formulated.

Article 2: These Regulations apply to the operation of instant messaging tools and public information services within the borders of the People’s Republic of China.

Instant messaging tools as named in these Regulations, refers to applications based on the Internet, which provide instant information exchange services to end-users. Public information services as named in these Regulations, refers to activities of distributing information to the public through public accounts on instant messaging tools and other means.

Article 3: The State Internet Information Office is responsible for the comprehensive planning, coordination and guidance of the development and management work of instant messaging tools and public information services, provincial-level Internet information content controlling departments are responsible for corresponding work within their administrative areas.

Internet sector organizations shall play their roles vigorously, strengthen sector self-discipline, promote the construction of a sectoral credit appraisal system, and stimulate the healthy and orderly development of the sector.

Article 4: Instant messaging tool service providers shall obtain corresponding qualifications as provided in laws and regulations. Instant communication tool service providers engaging in public information service activities shall obtain Internet news information service qualifications.

Article 5: Instant messaging tool service providers shall implement safety management duties, establish and complete various structures, allocate specialist personnel suited to the scale of services, protect users’ information and citizens’ personal privacy, consciously accept social supervision, and timely deal with unlawful and harmful information reported by the public.

Article 6: Instant messaging tool service providers shall, on the basis of the principle of “real name back stage, one’s one will front of stage”, require that instant messaging tool users register for an account after undergoing authentication of their read identity information.

When instant messaging tool service users register their accounts, they shall sign an agreement with the instant messaging tool service provider, in which they commit to abide by the “seven baselines” of observing laws and regulations, the Socialist system, the national interest, citizens’ lawful rights and interests, public order, social morality and truthfulness of information.

Article 7: Instant messaging tool service users opening public accounts in order to engage in public information service activities shall undergo examination and verification by the instant messaging tool service provider, the instant messaging tool service provider files [them] in a categorized manner with the controlling department for Internet information and content.

Public accounts opened by news work units and news websites may be used to disseminate or reprint current affairs-type news, public accounts set up by non-news work units who have obtained Internet news information service qualifications may be used to reprint current affairs-type news. Other public accounts may not be used to disseminate or reprint current affairs-type news without approval.

Instant messaging tool service providers shall indicate public accounts that may disseminate or reprint current affairs-type news with a symbol.

All levels’ Party and government organs, enterprise and undertaking work units and all people’s organizations are encouraged to open public accounts, to serve economic and social development and satisfy the public’s demands.

Article 8 Instant messaging tool service users engaging in public information service activities shall abide by relevant laws and regulations.

Instant messaging tool service providers shall, in view of the circumstances, adopt measures such as warnings, restricting publication, suspension of refreshing, and closure of accounts against instant messaging tool service users violating the agreed terms, store relevant records, and carry out their duty of reporting the matter to relevant controlling departments.

Article 9: Corresponding departments deal with acts violating these Regulations according to relevant laws and regulations.

Article 10: These Regulations take effect on the date of promulgation.

 

即时通信工具公众信息服务发展管理暂行规定
第一条 为进一步推动即时通信工具公众信息服务健康有序发展，保护公民、法人和其他组织的合法权益，维护国家安全和公共利益，根据《全国人民代表大会常务委员会关于维护互联网安全的决定》、《全国人民代表大会常务委员会关于加强网络信息保护的决定》、《最高人民法院最高人民检察院关于办理利用信息网络实施诽谤等刑事案件适用法律若干问题的解释》、《互联网信息服务管理办法》、《互联网新闻信息服务管理规定》等法律法规，制定本规定。

第二条 在中华人民共和国境内从事即时通信工具公众信息服务，适用本规定。

本规定所称即时通信工具，是指基于互联网面向终端使用者提供即时信息交流服务的应用。本规定所称公众信息服务，是指通过即时通信工具的公众账号及其他形式向公众发布信息的活动。

第三条 国家互联网信息办公室负责统筹协调指导即时通信工具公众信息服务发展管理工作，省级互联网信息内容主管部门负责本行政区域的相关工作。

互联网行业组织应当积极发挥作用，加强行业自律，推动行业信用评价体系建设，促进行业健康有序发展。

第四条 即时通信工具服务提供者应当取得法律法规规定的相关资质。即时通信工具服务提供者从事公众信息服务活动，应当取得互联网新闻信息服务资质。

第五条 即时通信工具服务提供者应当落实安全管理责任，建立健全各项制度，配备与服务规模相适应的专业人员，保护用户信息及公民个人隐私，自觉接受社会监督，及时处理公众举报的违法和不良信息。

第六条 即时通信工具服务提供者应当按照“后台实名、前台自愿”的原则，要求即时通信工具服务使用者通过真实身份信息认证后注册账号。

即时通信工具服务使用者注册账号时，应当与即时通信工具服务提供者签订协议，承诺遵守法律法规、社会主义制度、国家利益、公民合法权益、公共秩序、社会道德风尚和信息真实性等“七条底线”。

第七条 即时通信工具服务使用者为从事公众信息服务活动开设公众账号，应当经即时通信工具服务提供者审核，由即时通信工具服务提供者向互联网信息内容主管部门分类备案。

新闻单位、新闻网站开设的公众账号可以发布、转载时政类新闻，取得互联网新闻信息服务资质的非新闻单位开设的公众账号可以转载时政类新闻。其他公众账号未经批准不得发布、转载时政类新闻。

即时通信工具服务提供者应当对可以发布或转载时政类新闻的公众账号加注标识。

鼓励各级党政机关、企事业单位和各人民团体开设公众账号，服务经济社会发展，满足公众需求。

第八条 即时通信工具服务使用者从事公众信息服务活动，应当遵守相关法律法规。

对违反协议约定的即时通信工具服务使用者，即时通信工具服务提供者应当视情节采取警示、限制发布、暂停更新直至关闭账号等措施，并保存有关记录，履行向有关主管部门报告义务。

第九条 对违反本规定的行为，由有关部门依照相关法律法规处理。

第十条 本规定自公布之日起施行。