Beijing Municipality, Questions Relevant to Administration of the Examination and Approval of Electronic BulletinBoard Services in the Beijing Area Circular

Published: April 28 2001

Main contents: According to the Circular, online bulletin board services (BBS) in the Beijing area are subject to special examination and approval by the Beijing Telecommunications Administration. Applicants must satisfy certain specified conditions, which include the establishment of a number of control systems, such as a webmaster responsibility system and a user registration system (Part One). Under the webmaster responsibility system, the webmaster will be held accountable for the contents of the BBS (Paragraph Two, Section Four, Part One). Users are required to register with their true identities (Paragraph Three, Section Four, Part One). The Circular states that the Beijing Telecommunications Administration will irregularly inspect the websites with approved BBSs and will revoke the licenses of any BBS that has shown non-compliance (Part Three). The Circular also provides for the BBS application procedures (Part Two). A BBS application form is attached thereto.

Related legislation: Administration of Internet Electronic Messaging Services Provisions, Oct 27 2000, CLP 2000 No10 p57; PRC, Telecommunications Regulations, Sep 25 2000, CLP 2000 No.9 p28; Administration of Internet Information Services Procedures, Sep 25 2000, CLP 2000 No.9 p62 and Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, Maintenance of Internet Security Decision, Dec 28 2000, CLP 2001 No.1 p12