Internet News Information Service Management Regulations

Chapter I: General Provisions

Article 1: In order to strengthen Internet information content management and stimulate the healthy and orderly development of Internet news information services, on the basis of the “Cybersecurity Law of the People’s Republic of China”, the “Internet Information Service Management Rules”, and the “State Council Notice concerning Authorizing the State Internet Information Office to Take Responsibility of Internet Information Content Management Work”, these Regulations are formulated.

Article 2: These Regulations apply to the provision of Internet news information services within the territory of the People’s Republic of China

News information as mentioned in these Regulations includes reporting and comments on politics, economic, military matters, foreign affairs and other such social public affairs, as well as reporting and comments on sudden social incidents.

Article 3: The provision of Internet news information services shall conform to the Constitutions, laws and administrative regulations, persist in the orientation of serving the people and serving Socialism, persist in the correct public opinion orientation, give rein to the role of public opinion supervision, stimulate the creation of a positive, healthy, upward and benign online culture, and safeguard the national interest and the public interest.

Article 4: The Cyberspace Administration of China is responsible for supervision, management and law enforcement work concerning Internet news information services nationwide. Local Internet information officers, on the basis of their duties, are responsible for supervision, management and law enforcement work concerning Internet news information services within their administrative areas.

Chapter II: Licences

Article 5: In order to provide Internet news information services to the social public through Internet websites, application software, forums, blogs, microblogs, public account, instant messaging tools, online live streaming and other such methods, an Internet news information services licence shall be obtained, it is not permitted to launch Internet news information service activities without a licence or in excess of the licence’s scope.

Internet news information services as mentioned in the previous Paragraph, include Internet news information gathering and distribution services, reprinting services, and dissemination platform services.

Article 6: To apply for an Internet news information service licence, the following conditions shall be met:

(1) being a legal person lawfully established within the territory of the People’s Republic of China;

(2) the main responsible person and editor-in-chief are Chinese citizens;

(3) having specialist news editing personnel, content inspection personnel and technological protection personnel suited to the services;

(4) having complete Internet news information service management structures

(5) having complete information security management structures and secure and reliable technological protection mechanisms;

(6) having the premises, equipment and funds suited to the services.

Those applying for an Internet news information service gathering and distribution services licence shall be news work units (including the work units they control) or a work unit controlled by a news or propaganda department.

Internet news information service providers meeting conditions shall be subject to a special management share system, concrete implementation rules will be formulated separately by the Cyberspace Administration of China.

For the provision of Internet news information service, Internet information service licensing or filing formalities shall also be conducted with the telecommunications management department.

Article 7: No organization may establish a Sino-foreign equity or cooperative joint venture, or a foreign capital-run Internet news information services work unit.

Internet news information services work units engaging in cooperation involving Internet news information service activities with a Sino-foreign equity or cooperative joint venture, or a foreign capital-run enterprise shall report the matter to the Cyberspace Administration of China for security evaluation.

Article 8: Internet news information service providers’ newsgathering activities and management activities shall be separated, non-publicly owned capital may not enter into Internet news information gathering activities.

Article 9: Applications for an Internet news information services licence, where the applying subject is a Central news work unit (including the work units they control) or a work unit controlled by a Central news and propaganda department, shall be received and decided upon by the Cyberspace Administration of China; where the applying subject is a local news work unit (including the work unit they control) or a work unit controlled by a local news and propaganda department, the provincial, autonomous region or municipal Internet information office will accept and decide upon it; where the applying subject is another work unit, it shall be decided upon by the Cyberspace Administration of China after acceptance and preliminary investigation by the provincial, autonomous region or municipal Internet information office.

Where the national, provincial, autonomous region or municipal Internet office decided on approval, an “Internet News Information Services Licence” is issued. The “Internet News Information Services Licence” is valid for a period of three years. Where the period of validity expires, and it is required to continue to engage in Internet news information service activities, application formalities shall be conducted within thirty days of the end before the period of validity.

Provincial, autonomous region or municipal Internet information offices shall regularly report the licence acceptance and decision situation to the Cyberspace Administration of China.

Article 10: To apply for an Internet news information services licence, the following materials shall be submitted:

(1) evidence that the main responsible person and editor-in-chief are Chinese citizens;

(2) the qualification situation of specialist news editing personnel, content inspection personnel and technological protection personnel;

(3) the Internet news information service management structure;

(4) information security management structures and technical protection measures;

(5) an Internet news information service security assessment report;

(6) evidence of legal person status, premises, funds and shareholding structures;

(7) other materials provided in laws and regulations.

Chapter III: Operations

Article 11: Internet news information service providers shall install an editor in chief, the editor in chief has overall responsibility over Internet news information content. The editor-in-chief appointee shall have corresponding professional experience, conform to relevant condition, and report to the national, provincial, autonomous region or municipal Internet information office for filing.

Internet news information services employees shall obtain corresponding qualifications according to the law, accept specialist training and assessment. Internet news information services employees engaging in newsgathering activities shall have professional newsgathering qualifications, and hold a journalist card uniformly issued by the State Administration of Press, Publications, Radio, Film and Television.

Article 12: Internet news information service providers shall complete information security management structures for information dissemination verification, public information inspection rounds, emergency response, etc., and have secure and controllable technical protection measures.

Article 13: Internet news information service providers providing Internet news information dissemination platform services to users shall, according to the provisions of the “Cybersecurity Law of the People’s Republic of China”, require users to provide real identity information. Where users do not provide real identity information, Internet news information service providers may not provide corresponding services to them.

Internet news information service providers have the duty to maintain the secrecy of users’ identity information and daily record information, they may not leak, distort or damage it, and may not sell or illegally provide it to others.

Internet news information service providers and they employees may not seek improper benefit through editing, disseminating, reprinting or deleting news information, intervening in the presentation order or search results of news information, or other such measures.

Article 14: Internet news information service providers providing Internet news information dissemination platform services shall sign agreements with the users registering on their platforms, ensuring both sides’ rights and interests.

Where users set up public accounts, Internet news information service providers shall examine and verify their account information, service qualifications, scope of services and other such information, and file the matter with the provincial, autonomous region or municipal Internet information office.

Article 15: Internet news information service providers reprinting news information shall reprint news information issued by Central news work units or work units within the State-determined scope, such as provincial, autonomous region or municipal directly subordinate news work units, etc., clearly indicate the news information’s source, original author, original title, real name of the editor, etc., they may not distort or misrepresent the original meaning of the title and the content of the news information, and ensure the traceability of the news information’s source

Internet news information service providers reprinting news information shall abide by relevant copyright laws and regulations, and protect the lawful rights and interests of copyright holders.

Article 18: Internet news information service providers and users may not produce, reproduce, publish or disseminate information content prohibited by laws or administrative regulations

Where Internet news information service providers, in the process of providing services, discover content violating Article 3 of these Regulations or the provisions of the previous Paragraph, they shall immediately cease the transmission of the information in question according to the law, adopt measures such as deletion, preserve relevant records, and record the matter with the relevant controlling department.

Article 17: Where Internet news information service providers change the main responsible person, editor-in-chief, main controlling work unit, shareholding structure and other such major matters influencing the licensing conditions, they shall conduct modification formalities with the original licence-issuing body.

Internet news information service providers using new technologies, adjusting or adding application functions with a news and public opinion nature or with social mobilization capability, they shall report the matter to the national, provincial, autonomous region or municipal Internet information office to conduct Internet news information service security assessment.

Article 18: Internet news information service providers shall indicate the number of their Internet news information service licence in a clear position.

Internet news information service providers shall consciously accept social supervision, establish social complaints reporting channels, open up convenient complaints reporting entrances, and timely deal with complaints and reports from the public.

Chapter IV: Supervision and inspection

Article 19: National and local Internet information offices shall establish supervision and management structures combining daily inspection and periodical inspection, to conduct supervision and inspection of Internet news information service activities according to the law, relevant work units and individuals shall provide cooperation.

National and local Internet information offices shall complete law enforcement personnel qualification management structures. Law enforcement personnel engaging in law enforcement activities shall present their law enforcement credentials according to the law.

Article 20: Where any organization or individual discovers an Internet news information service provider commits acts violating these Regulations, they may report the matter to national or local Internet information offices.

National and local Information offices shall publish report acceptance methods, after receiving a report, they shall handle it according to the law. Internet news information service providers shall grant cooperation.

Article 21: National and local Internet information offices shall establish Internet news information service online credit files, and establish a trust-breaking blacklist system and interview system.

The Cyberspace Administration of China will, in collaboration with the State Council telecommunications, public security, press, publications, radio, film and television departments, establish an information sharing mechanisms, strengthen work communication, coordination and cooperation, to lawfully conduct joint law enforcement and other such specialized supervision and inspection activities.

Chapter V: Legal liability

Article 22: Those launching Internet news information service activities without a licence or in excess of the scope of a licence, in violation of the provisions of Article 5 of these Regulations, will be ordered by the national, provincial, autonomous region or municipal Internet information office to cease the relevant service activity, and fined between 10.000 and 30.000 Yuan.

Article 23: Where Internet news information service providers, in the process of operations, no longer meet licensing conditions, the original licence-issuing body will order rectification with a limited time; where licencing conditions are still not met after this period expires, news information updating will be provisionally ceased; when licencing conditions are still not met upon expiry of the term of validity of the “Internet News Information Service Licence”, the licence will not be reissued.

Article 24: Where Internet news information service providers violate the provisions of Article 7 Paragraph II, Article 8, Article 11, Article 12, Article 13 Paragraph III, Article 14, Article 14 Paragraph I, Article 17 or Article 18 of these Regulations, the national or local Internet information office will issue a warning according to their duties, and order rectification within a limited time; where circumstances are grave or rectification is refused, news information renewal will be provisionally ceased, and a fine between 5.000 and 30.000 Yuan imposed; where the matter constitutes a crime, criminal liability will be prosecuted according to the law.

Article 25: Where Internet news information service providers violate the provisions of Article 3, Article 16 Paragraph I, Article 19 Paragraph I or Article 20 Paragraph II of these Regulations, the national or local Internet information office will issue a warning according to their duties, and order rectification within a limited time; where circumstances are grave or rectification is refused, a fine between 20.000 Yuan and 30.000 Yuan is imposed; where the matter constitutes a crime, criminal liability will be prosecuted according to the law.

Article 26: Where Internet news information service providers violate the provisions of Article 13 Paragraph I or Article 16 Paragraph II of these Regulations, the national or local Internet information office will handle the matter according to the provisions of the “Cybersecurity Law of China”.

Chapter VI: Supplementary provisions

Article 27: News work unit as mentioned in these Regulations refers to periodical publishers, radio stations, television stations, news agencies and news film studios established according to the law.

Article 28: Where violations of these Regulations simultaneously violate the Internet information service management regulations, the national and local Internet information offices will, after dealing with the matter on the basis of these Regulations, transfer the matter to the telecommunications controlling department for processing according to the law.

Where there are separate State provisions concerning Internet audiovisual programme services, online publishing services, etc., their provisions must be followed simultaneously.

Article 29: These Regulations take effect on 1 June 2017. Where there are inconsistencies between relevant provisions issued before these Regulations took effect and these Regulations, these Regulations will apply.

Internet news information service

互联网新闻信息服务管理规定

第一章总则

第一条 为加强互联网信息内容管理，促进互联网新闻信息服务健康有序发展，根据《中华人民共和国网络安全法》《互联网信息服务管理办法》《国务院关于授权国家互联网信息办公室负责互联网信息内容管理工作的通知》，制定本规定。

第二条 在中华人民共和国境内提供互联网新闻信息服务，适用本规定。

本规定所称新闻信息，包括有关政治、经济、军事、外交等社会公共事务的报道、评论，以及有关社会突发事件的报道、评论。

第三条 提供互联网新闻信息服务，应当遵守宪法、法律和行政法规，坚持为人民服务、为社会主义服务的方向，坚持正确舆论导向，发挥舆论监督作用，促进形成积极健康、向上向善的网络文化，维护国家利益和公共利益。

第四条 国家互联网信息办公室负责全国互联网新闻信息服务的监督管理执法工作。地方互联网信息办公室依据职责负责本行政区域内互联网新闻信息服务的监督管理执法工作。

第二章许可

第五条 通过互联网站、应用程序、论坛、博客、微博客、公众账号、即时通信工具、网络直播等形式向社会公众提供互联网新闻信息服务，应当取得互联网新闻信息服务许可，禁止未经许可或超越许可范围开展互联网新闻信息服务活动。
前款所称互联网新闻信息服务，包括互联网新闻信息采编发布服务、转载服务、传播平台服务。

第六条 申请互联网新闻信息服务许可，应当具备下列条件：
（一）在中华人民共和国境内依法设立的法人；
（二）主要负责人、总编辑是中国公民；
（三）有与服务相适应的专职新闻编辑人员、内容审核人员和技术保障人员；
（四）有健全的互联网新闻信息服务管理制度；
（五）有健全的信息安全管理制度和安全可控的技术保障措施；
（六）有与服务相适应的场所、设施和资金。
申请互联网新闻信息采编发布服务许可的，应当是新闻单位（含其控股的单位）或新闻宣传部门主管的单位。
符合条件的互联网新闻信息服务提供者实行特殊管理股制度，具体实施办法由国家互联网信息办公室另行制定。
提供互联网新闻信息服务，还应当依法向电信主管部门办理互联网信息服务许可或备案手续。

第七条 任何组织不得设立中外合资经营、中外合作经营和外资经营的互联网新闻信息服务单位。
互联网新闻信息服务单位与境内外中外合资经营、中外合作经营和外资经营的企业进行涉及互联网新闻信息服务业务的合作，应当报经国家互联网信息办公室进行安全评估。

第八条 互联网新闻信息服务提供者的采编业务和经营业务应当分开，非公有资本不得介入互联网新闻信息采编业务。

第九条 申请互联网新闻信息服务许可，申请主体为中央新闻单位（含其控股的单位）或中央新闻宣传部门主管的单位的，由国家互联网信息办公室受理和决定；申请主体为地方新闻单位（含其控股的单位）或地方新闻宣传部门主管的单位的，由省、自治区、直辖市互联网信息办公室受理和决定；申请主体为其他单位的，经所在地省、自治区、直辖市互联网信息办公室受理和初审后，由国家互联网信息办公室决定。
国家或省、自治区、直辖市互联网信息办公室决定批准的，核发《互联网新闻信息服务许可证》。《互联网新闻信息服务许可证》有效期为三年。有效期届满，需继续从事互联网新闻信息服务活动的，应当于有效期届满三十日前申请续办。
省、自治区、直辖市互联网信息办公室应当定期向国家互联网信息办公室报告许可受理和决定情况。

第十条 申请互联网新闻信息服务许可，应当提交下列材料：
（一）主要负责人、总编辑为中国公民的证明；
（二）专职新闻编辑人员、内容审核人员和技术保障人员的资质情况；
（三）互联网新闻信息服务管理制度；
（四）信息安全管理制度和技术保障措施；
（五）互联网新闻信息服务安全评估报告；
（六）法人资格、场所、资金和股权结构等证明；
（七）法律法规规定的其他材料。

第三章运行

第十一条 互联网新闻信息服务提供者应当设立总编辑，总编辑对互联网新闻信息内容负总责。总编辑人选应当具有相关从业经验，符合相关条件，并报国家或省、自治区、直辖市互联网信息办公室备案。
互联网新闻信息服务相关从业人员应当依法取得相应资质，接受专业培训、考核。互联网新闻信息服务相关从业人员从事新闻采编活动，应当具备新闻采编人员职业资格，持有国家新闻出版广电总局统一颁发的新闻记者证。

第十二条 互联网新闻信息服务提供者应当健全信息发布审核、公共信息巡查、应急处置等信息安全管理制度，具有安全可控的技术保障措施。

第十三条 互联网新闻信息服务提供者为用户提供互联网新闻信息传播平台服务，应当按照《中华人民共和国网络安全法》的规定，要求用户提供真实身份信息。用户不提供真实身份信息的，互联网新闻信息服务提供者不得为其提供相关服务。
互联网新闻信息服务提供者对用户身份信息和日志信息负有保密的义务，不得泄露、篡改、毁损，不得出售或非法向他人提供。
互联网新闻信息服务提供者及其从业人员不得通过采编、发布、转载、删除新闻信息，干预新闻信息呈现或搜索结果等手段谋取不正当利益。

第十四条 互联网新闻信息服务提供者提供互联网新闻信息传播平台服务，应当与在其平台上注册的用户签订协议，明确双方权利义务。
对用户开设公众账号的，互联网新闻信息服务提供者应当审核其账号信息、服务资质、服务范围等信息，并向所在地省、自治区、直辖市互联网信息办公室分类备案。

第十五条 互联网新闻信息服务提供者转载新闻信息，应当转载中央新闻单位或省、自治区、直辖市直属新闻单位等国家规定范围内的单位发布的新闻信息，注明新闻信息来源、原作者、原标题、编辑真实姓名等，不得歪曲、篡改标题原意和新闻信息内容，并保证新闻信息来源可追溯。
互联网新闻信息服务提供者转载新闻信息，应当遵守著作权相关法律法规的规定，保护著作权人的合法权益。

第十六条 互联网新闻信息服务提供者和用户不得制作、复制、发布、传播法律、行政法规禁止的信息内容。
互联网新闻信息服务提供者提供服务过程中发现含有违反本规定第三条或前款规定内容的，应当依法立即停止传输该信息、采取消除等处置措施，保存有关记录，并向有关主管部门报告。

第十七条 互联网新闻信息服务提供者变更主要负责人、总编辑、主管单位、股权结构等影响许可条件的重大事项，应当向原许可机关办理变更手续。
互联网新闻信息服务提供者应用新技术、调整增设具有新闻舆论属性或社会动员能力的应用功能，应当报国家或省、自治区、直辖市互联网信息办公室进行互联网新闻信息服务安全评估。

第十八条 互联网新闻信息服务提供者应当在明显位置明示互联网新闻信息服务许可证编号。
互联网新闻信息服务提供者应当自觉接受社会监督，建立社会投诉举报渠道，设置便捷的投诉举报入口，及时处理公众投诉举报。

第四章监督检查

第十九条 国家和地方互联网信息办公室应当建立日常检查和定期检查相结合的监督管理制度，依法对互联网新闻信息服务活动实施监督检查，有关单位、个人应当予以配合。
国家和地方互联网信息办公室应当健全执法人员资格管理制度。执法人员开展执法活动，应当依法出示执法证件。

第二十条 任何组织和个人发现互联网新闻信息服务提供者有违反本规定行为的，可以向国家和地方互联网信息办公室举报。
国家和地方互联网信息办公室应当向社会公开举报受理方式，收到举报后，应当依法予以处置。互联网新闻信息服务提供者应当予以配合。

第二十一条 国家和地方互联网信息办公室应当建立互联网新闻信息服务网络信用档案，建立失信黑名单制度和约谈制度。
国家互联网信息办公室会同国务院电信、公安、新闻出版广电等部门建立信息共享机制，加强工作沟通和协作配合，依法开展联合执法等专项监督检查活动。

第五章法律责任

第二十二条 违反本规定第五条规定，未经许可或超越许可范围开展互联网新闻信息服务活动的，由国家和省、自治区、直辖市互联网信息办公室依据职责责令停止相关服务活动，处一万元以上三万元以下罚款。

第二十三条 互联网新闻信息服务提供者运行过程中不再符合许可条件的，由原许可机关责令限期改正；逾期仍不符合许可条件的，暂停新闻信息更新；《互联网新闻信息服务许可证》有效期届满仍不符合许可条件的，不予换发许可证。

第二十四条 互联网新闻信息服务提供者违反本规定第七条第二款、第八条、第十一条、第十二条、第十三条第三款、第十四条、第十五条第一款、第十七条、第十八条规定的，由国家和地方互联网信息办公室依据职责给予警告，责令限期改正；情节严重或拒不改正的，暂停新闻信息更新，处五千元以上三万元以下罚款；构成犯罪的，依法追究刑事责任。

第二十五条 互联网新闻信息服务提供者违反本规定第三条、第十六条第一款、第十九条第一款、第二十条第二款规定的，由国家和地方互联网信息办公室依据职责给予警告，责令限期改正；情节严重或拒不改正的，暂停新闻信息更新，处二万元以上三万元以下罚款；构成犯罪的，依法追究刑事责任。

第二十六条 互联网新闻信息服务提供者违反本规定第十三条第一款、第十六条第二款规定的，由国家和地方互联网信息办公室根据《中华人民共和国网络安全法》的规定予以处理。

第六章附则

第二十七条 本规定所称新闻单位，是指依法设立的报刊社、广播电台、电视台、通讯社和新闻电影制片厂。

第二十八条 违反本规定，同时违反互联网信息服务管理规定的，由国家和地方互联网信息办公室根据本规定处理后，转由电信主管部门依法处置。
国家对互联网视听节目服务、网络出版服务等另有规定的，应当同时符合其规定。

第二十九条 本规定自2017年6月1日起施行。本规定施行之前颁布的有关规定与本规定不一致的，按照本规定执行。