Ministry of Information Industry, Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of Culture and State Administration for Industry and Commerce, Administration of Places of Business of Internet Access Services Measures

Promulgated: April 3 2001
Effective: as of date of promulgation
Applicability: The Measures apply to the establishment, operation, and usage of internet access centres, and the supervision and management of such centres. Internet access centres are defined as those that provide computers and internet access to the general public. This includes the service provided by "Internet Cafes" (Article 2)

Main contents: Article 3 states that the telecommunications authorities handle applications and supervise service quality, while the public security departments oversee internet security, the departments of culture oversee content, and the administrations for industry and commerce issue operating licences. Article 6 states that the internet access centre must possess qualified technical support staff, a sound internet-security management system and corresponding internet-security technical measures. The operator signs a "Declaration of Responsibility for Information Security" with his ISP (Article 8) and may only provide access through this ISP to the internet internationally (Article 9). Article 10 states that the operator must maintain internet access records for 60 days and provide these to authorities on demand. The operator may not rent the internet access centre or in any way transfer its operation to another person. The internet access centre may not provide computer entertainment of an unhealthy nature, including content that contains pornography, gambling or superstition. Article 12 states that the internet access centre or its users may not use the facilities of the internet access centre to create, reproduce, view, distribute or transmit data containing content that contradicts the basic principles of the constitution or endangers national security or unity.
Related legislation: Administration of Internet Information Services Measures, Sep 25 2000, CLP 2000 No.9 p62 and Administration of Security Protection of International Linkups of Computer Information Networks Measures, Dec 30 1997, CLP 1998 No.2 p10