Government Calls Out Sina Blogs for "Distorting Party History"

On January 7, 2017, the the Cyberspace Administration of China published a notice on its website entitled "Sina, Global Times, China.com, and Other Websites Post Harmful Information in Violation of Rules, Get Reported by China's Internet Users" (新浪网、环球网、中华网等网站违规刊载有害信息 受到网民集中举报). Some excerpts:

In 2016, the the China Internet Illegal Information Reporting Center (hereinafter "Reporting Center") received almost 1,000,000 reports from the public. These included reports that Sina, Global Times, Netease, China.com, Voice of China, Shangdu, Tom.com, and Chongqing Online were publishing harmful information in violation of rules, or were providing a platform for the publication of harmful information. There was a strong negative public reaction.
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Based on user reports and a selective examination by the Reporting Center, various channels on Sina included vulgar and revealing photos, text and information, and there was a relatively large quantity of posts on Sina blogs that distorted Party and national history, spread evil cults and promoted pornographic videos. 

Netease's "Headline Party" problem was particularly acute, and in an attempt to attract eyeballs it would maliciously distort headlines, publish articles selectively, exaggerate facts, and mislead the public. 

Some of the articles on the Global Times used vulgar and exotic language to attract readers, and had a harmful orientation. There was a lack of effective moderation of comments, and some comments were extremist and spread rumors.  

2016年，国家互联网信息办公室违法和不良信息举报中心（以下简称“举报中心”）共受理公众举报近百万件次，其中，新浪网、环球网、网易网、中华网、华声在线、商都网、TOM网、重庆热线8家网站违规刊载有害信息，或为有害信息传播提供平台，网民举报集中，社会反应强烈。
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根据公众举报及举报中心抽查，新浪个别频道存在低俗暴露图文信息，新浪博客中存在较多歪曲党史国史、宣扬邪教及推介色情AV的帖文。网易“标题党”问题突出，为博人眼球，恶意篡改标题、选择性报道，夸大事实，误导公众。环球网一些文章用低俗、猎奇字眼吸引读者，导向不良；跟帖评论缺乏有效管理，一些跟帖言论偏激、传播谣言。

CAC Announces Rules to Regulate the Content of News Headlines

On January 13, 2017, the Cyberspace Administration of China published a notice on its website entitled “CAC Deepens Its Rectification of the ‘Headline Party’ Problem” (国家网信办深入整治“标题党”问题). Some excerpts:

In order to further purify the online public opinion environment and to attack the chaos of altering headlines, distorting the original meaning of news and other behaviors of the "headline party," the CAC in coordination with relevant agencies recently launched a one month rectification campaign and imposed sanctions on five websites with outstanding problems: Sina, Sohu, Netease, Phoenix, and Focus, and formulated specific rules for Internet news headlines.
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In order to strengthen long-term controls over the "Headline Party" problem, the CAC formulated and promulgated the "(Interim) Rules on the Administration of Internet News Headline Norms" (hereinafter the "Rules") which clearly require all websites to maintain a correct public opinion orientation that runs through all aspects of Internet news collecting, drafting, editing, and publishing. When reporting on all kind of significant news, but especially news that touches upon important political current events and major public disturbances, they must ensure that the content of all headlines transmits a position, standpoint, and attitude with a correct orientation, scrupulously abide by journalistic ethics, and strictly prohibit malicious distorted headlines that stir up trouble or deliberately create public opinion "hotspots."
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It is strictly prohibited to use "Breaking Online," "Spreading Online," or other indeterminate vocabulary in headlines for compiled reports or to describe the essential elements of news. It is strictly prohibited to employ any "Headline Party" techniques such as using content that is exaggerated, outrageous, or unconventional.
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In order to make it convenient for Internet users to participate in overseeing and reporting, the China Internet Illegal Information Reporting Center has established an official website specifically for reporting websites with "Headline Party" problems (www.12377.cn), and at the same time has demanded that the six major commercial websites Sina, Sohu, Netease, Tencent, Baidu, and Phoenix establish clearly visible reporting links on their home pages and arrange for personnel to accept Internet user reports 24 hours a day. 

为进一步净化网络舆论环境，打击乱改标题、歪曲新闻原意等“标题党”行为，国家网信办联合相关部门日前开展了为期1个月的专项整治行动，依法处罚了新浪、搜狐、网易、凤凰、焦点等存在突出问题的5家网站，并对互联网新闻信息标题制作制定了专门规范。
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为了加强“标题党”问题的长效治理，国家网信办还制定印发了《互联网新闻信息标题规范管理规定（暂行）》（以下简称《规定》）,明确要求各网站把坚持正确舆论导向贯穿互联网新闻采集、撰写、编排、发布等各个环节。在报道各类新闻，尤其是涉及重大时政新闻和重大突发事件等重要信息时，要通过标题内容传达正确的立场、观点、态度，确保导向正确，恪守新闻伦理，严禁恶意篡改标题炒作或蓄意制造舆论“热点”。
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严禁在标题中使用“网曝”“网传”等不确定性词汇组织报道或者表述新闻基本要素。严禁各类夸张、猎奇、不合常理的内容表现手法等“标题党”行为。
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为了发动更多网民参与监督举报，国家网信办违法和不良信息举报中心还在官方网站建立了网站“标题党”问题举报专区（www.12377.cn)，同时要求新浪、搜狐、网易、腾讯、百度、凤凰等6家主要商业网站在其首页显著位置设置举报链接入口，安排专人24小时受理网民举报。

CAC Announces New Registration Requirements for Mobile App Stores

On January 13, 2017, the Cyberspace Administration of China published a notice on its website entitled “CAC Launches Registration of Internet App Stores” (国家网信办启动互联网应用商店备案工作). Some excerpts: 

In order to further promote the healthy and orderly development of the Internet app store industry and regulate mobile Internet application program the (APP) information services, the Cyberspace Administration of China recently issued the "Notice Regarding the Launching of an Internet App Store Registration Campaign" in accordance with the "Rules on the Administration of Mobile Internet Application Program Information Services" requiring that starting from January 16 Internet Information Offices in every province, autonomous region, and independent municipality shall officially commence work on registering Internet application stores.
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A CAC spokesperson explained that, Internet application store registration is aimed at overseeing and promoting app stores' taking responsibility, strengthening screening of apps that go up, promoting the healthy and orderly development of the mobile Internet, and will focus on "three applications": first, the operators of app store businesses must submit a registration application; second, when an app store's registered information changes it must apply to change its registration; third, when an app store ceases service it must apply to cancel its registration. 

为进一步促进互联网应用商店行业健康有序发展，规范移动互联网应用程序（APP）信息服务，依据《移动互联网应用程序信息服务管理规定》，国家互联网信息办公室日前下发《关于开展互联网应用商店备案工作的通知》，要求各省、自治区、直辖市互联网信息办公室于1月16日起，正式启动互联网应用商店备案工作。
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国家网信办有关发言人介绍，互联网应用商店备案工作旨在督促应用商店落实主体责任，加强APP上架审核，促进移动互联网健康有序发展，将突出“三个申请”：一是应用商店业务运营需申请备案；二是应用商店备案事项变更需申请变更备案；三是应用商店停止服务需申请注销备案。