China's Internet management agency Thursday moved to better
regulate companies that provide website search services and ensure
they meet basic technical standards.
The regulation, which was issued by the China Internet Network
Information Center (CNNIC), aims to provide technical guidance
for Internet companies in China collecting and storing website
names in data banks.
At
present, dozens of Chinese Internet service companies provide
website search services by key words using different technical
standards.
The United States-based AOL and Microsoft have already carved out
sizable market shares on the strength of their technical
advantages.
"Different service providers have different technical standards,
which tends to cause inconvenience for Internet users," said CNNIC
director Mao Wei at Thursday's press conference publicizing the new
regulation.
According to Chinese laws and regulations, website search engines
can be provided by domestic or foreign Internet companies.
"The situation could potentially undermine China's information
security if we don't take measures to regulate these services,"
said Mao.
For example, some foreign companies have data banks of China's
websites, giving them free access to any of those sites.
In
developed countries, website search services can only be provided
by qualified companies that are approved by Internet management
authorities.
"The technical regulation is our first step towards governing the
service," said Mao.
Six major domestic Internet companies, including Sohu and Huyi
Information Resources, have signed up to the new rule.
"The regulation aims to ensure all Internet service providers in
China meet certain technical requirements," said Mao.
(China Daily April 18, 2003)