The Separation of Internet Content Regulation in the face of the Convergence of Information and Communication Technologies： The Controversies, Challenges and Solutions for China

Abstract

More than ten different departments in China have varying responsibilities for the regulation of the content of publications on the Internet. This separated regulatory structure has caused many challenges in the face of the convergence of information and communication technologies (ICTs), particularly the Internet. These challenges include the high compliance cost to ICT enterprises which effectively reduce incentives for high-tech startup companies and are detrimental to the innovative ability of the Internet itself. More generally, it creates tension for China’s successful engagement with the international community, decreases the international competitiveness of the Chinese ICT enterprises and stifles the development of global ICTs. China needs to adopt a more sophisticated approach to regulate Internet content and overcome these challenges in the near future. Failure to do so will widen the gap between China and the world’s developed countries in the Information Age. Key words: the Internet; the regulation of the Internet; content regulation; China Resume: Plus d’une dizaine de departements differents en Chine assument les responsabilites variees du controle du contenu des publications sur Internet. Cette structure regulatrice separee a cause beaucoup de defis en face de la convergence des informations, des technologies de communication et surtout de l’Internet. Tous ces defis contiennent un cout de conformite eleve pour les entreprises ICT（Information and communication technologies en anglais）, qui decouragent effectivement les startups high-tech et qui sont defavorables pour la capacite innovatrice d’Internet lui-meme.Plus generalement, il cree de la tension pour l’engagement de la Chine avec la communaute internationale, diminue la competitivite internationales des entreprises ICT chinoises et ralentit le developpement de l’ICT. La Chine a besoin d’adopter une approche plus sophistiquee pour regulariser le contenu d’Internet et surmonter tous ces defis dans le proche futur. Si l’on faillit faire cela, la distance entre la Chine et les pays developpes s’agrandira dans l’Age d’Information. Mots-Cles: Internet; regularisation d’Internet; controle du contenu; la Chine