News Brief
China Seizes Control Of Algorithms As It Further Tightens Grip On Tech Companies
Swarajya Staff
Jan 05, 2022, 08:38 PM | Updated 08:38 PM IST
Save & read from anywhere!
Bookmark stories for easy access on any device or the Swarajya app.
In a move it claims will promote the sustainable development of algorithm services and strengthen supervision, Chinese regulators unveiled a new set of regulations targeting algorithm recommendations used by tech firms. The new rules comes in to effect on March 1.
The regulation is seen as crippling blow to Chinese tech titans including Alibaba, Tencent and ByteDance as the use of algorithms to determine what users read, watch and purchase online is a key cornerstone of their business model.
The regulations released by China's Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) on Tuesday specifies that service providers should not use algorithms "to influence network public opinion to circumvent supervision and management, or act in a monopolistic way and engage in unfair competition."
The new regulations also forbids “unreasonable discrimination" in pricing and other transaction terms based on user habit data, a key monetization mechanism for some of China’s largest e-commerce and short-video platforms.
The new regulation, according to a statement from the CAC , also seeks to address “algorithmic discrimination”, which has led to differentiated pricing of products and services. Certain internet platforms have been charging consumers extra fees based on data about these users’ spending habits.
The consumers will have the right to switch off algorithmic recommendations on apps and see or delete the keywords the algorithms use to target them.
Save & read from anywhere!
Bookmark stories for easy access on any device or the Swarajya app.
Support Swarajya's 50 Ground Reports Project & Sponsor A Story
Every general election Swarajya does a 50 ground reports project.
Aimed only at serious readers and those who appreciate the nuances of political undercurrents, the project provides a sense of India's electoral landscape. As you know, these reports are produced after considerable investment of travel, time and effort on the ground.
This time too we've kicked off the project in style and have covered over 30 constituencies already. If you're someone who appreciates such work and have enjoyed our coverage please consider sponsoring a ground report for just Rs 2999 to Rs 19,999 - it goes a long way in helping us produce more quality reportage.
You can also back this project by becoming a subscriber for as little as Rs 999 - so do click on this links and choose a plan that suits you and back us.
Click below to contribute.