To enhance China's Internet management systems and to fight illegal content in the Internet audio and visual program sector, the State Administration of Radio Film and Television of China has issued a notice to eliminate non-compliant audio and visual content from the Internet.
The notice states ten kinds of content, including those involved with violence, pornography, gambling, and terrorist activities, should not appear in Internet audio and visual programs and 21 kinds of content, including those that violate people's privacy, should be cut or deleted from these programs.
The notice also outlines how Internet audio and visual program service providers should improve their management of content and establish an emergency mechanism to deal with "unhealthy" Internet content in China. They should keep an eye on Internet music videos, entertainment programs, films, TV series, and animations as well as content related to user-uploaded videos. For complaints and reports raised by netizens, these providers should handle the issues as soon as possible.
In addition, in regard to the overseas films and TV series which do not have licenses for public broadcasting and publication in China and which are spread via the Internet, SARFT emphasizes that the films and TV series provided by Chinese audio and visual program providers should observe the relevant rules and these programs should gain the licenses issued by China's radio, film and television administrative departments. Programs that do not have the licenses are not allowed to be spread on the Internet.
The notice points out that Internet audio and visual program providers should optimize their copyright protection systems, strictly obey the copyright laws of China, and protect the legal rights and interests of copyright owners.
