A Study on Internet Industry Self-regulation in China and Its Implications for Child Protection in Cyberspace

Abstract

Self-regulation of the Internet industry has been a popular policy approach adopted by many countries. However, unlike self-regulation of more traditional industries, self-regulation of the Internet industry has been a challenging process due to the sheer volume of cyberspace and involvement of stakeholders located beyond any single country’s jurisdiction. The industry has achieved limited success in self-regulation, specifically in the area of child protection in cyberspace. China has actively adopted a policy of Internet industry self-regulation and public supervision of the Internet industry, in order to remove online material that is not suitable for children. This article critically reviews China’s pre-emptive government regulation and stern actions to regulate the Internet industry to monitor the material that the Internet industry allows through its network. Despite criticism of the Chinese government for its attempts to control freedom of expression through the Internet, this article argues that China has in its own unique ways managed to monitor the contents in cyberspace. There are many valuable lessons to be learnt from the Chinese experience. Studying the unique working relationship that has evolved between the Chinese government and the Internet industry may be beneficial in understanding the ways in which vulnerable population groups like children can be protected in cyberspace.

Transparency reporting on child sexual exploitation and abuse online

“…The largest database of hashes is maintained by NCMEC and comprises approximately 1.5 million unique fingerprints of content that has been positively determined as CSEA. A PhotoDNA hash is not reversible and cannot be used to recreate an image (Microsoft, n.d. [52]). PhotoDNA is made available for free by Microsoft both on its Azure platform as well as through NCMEC and is used by over 150 organisations globally.…”

“…"Proactive detection" refers to Microsoft-initiated flagging of content on its products or services, whether through automated or manual review. Microsoft developed PhotoDNA in partnership with Dartmouth College in 2009 to help find duplicates of known child sexual exploitation and abuse imagery (Microsoft, n.d. [52]). PhotoDNA is now an industry-standard technology used by organisations around the world and is deployed across Microsoft's consumer products and services.…”