The Chinese leadership announced the imminent introduction of new rules concerning mobile developers. We are talking about both a ban on the distribution of applications using someone else’s intellectual property, and the need to censor user content.
The Cyberspace Administration of China announced the introduction of six rules for mobile application developers. In particular, developers of mobile applications are now prohibited from creating or distributing applications that violate other people’s intellectual rights. In case of violation of the new rule – including illegal copying of the product of competitors – developers will be banned.
Also, from now on, mobile app developers must:
- verify the reality of registered users (for example, by verifying them with a mobile phone number);
- get permission from the user to collect information about them;
- regulate user content in their applications (in fact, we are talking about the need for censorship by the developer himself, as well as to report unequal incidents to the appropriate authorities);
- store user data for 60 days.
It is not difficult to see Russian realities in the new rules. Recall that the “Spring package”, recently adopted by the State Duma of the Russian Federation, “obliges all telecom operators and many Internet resources to keep records of all telephone conversations of Russians, all their correspondence, any messages” for two years.
Chinese mobile app stores, of which there are several hundred, have also received their own set of rules from the Cyberspace Administration of China. According to one of them, they will have to promote the publication of legitimate applications.
The rules come into force on August 1 of this year.
This is not the first step to regulate the mobile market by the Chinese leadership. Recall that from July 1 of this year, all mobile games published or updated in China must first obtain prior permission for publication from the State Administration of the People’s Republic of China for Press, Publishing, Broadcasting, Cinematography and Television (SAPPRFT).
How both measures will affect the Chinese mobile games market is difficult to predict at the moment. It may become easier for large Western companies to enter the market. China, having removed numerous copies from its own market, will clear a platform for them. Plus, they have the opportunity to meet all the requirements of both conditional ministries. As for the small Western teams, nothing will change for them. As they could not go out and operate in the Celestial market, they will not be able to.
Source: Marbridge Consulting