China's Law-Based Cyberspace Governance in the New Era: Promoting Public Awareness and Competence

China's State Council Information Office on Thursday released a white paper titled "China's Law-Based Cyberspace Governance in the New Era."

The document is comprised of six parts, focusing on upholding the rule of law in cyberspace, consolidating the legal system for cyberspace governance, keeping order in a rule-based cyberspace, defending fairness and justice in cyberspace, promoting public awareness and competence in law-based cyberspace governance, and increasing international exchanges and cooperation in law-based cyberspace governance.

Great efforts have been made to break new ground in the content, form and means of spreading legal knowledge to the public via the internet, according to the fifth part of the white paper.

“The Chinese netizens’ awareness and understanding of the rule of law have generally increased, and online platforms have assumed their primary responsibility for legal compliance and the industry has embraced self-discipline,” it said.

Here are some highlights:

1. Internet Plus Public Legal Education

The internet has become a new space where people study, work and live; it provides a new platform for them to obtain information and access public services, which makes it a new avenue and means to spread knowledge of the law. The internet has changed the structure of legal literacy from unidirectional communication to interactive, service-based and immersive communication, and interpreted technical terms in plain everyday language. The participants have become increasingly active with better experiences and more gain.

2. Publicizing Cyber Laws and Regulations

Cyber laws and regulations are the main content of public legal education in cyberspace. They are becoming increasingly familiar to the public, providing the foundation for a sound and law-based cyberspace with high ethical standards.

3. Raising Legal Awareness of Key Groups

The authority of the law comes from the people’s firm belief and sincere support. China focuses its legal literacy efforts on key groups like teenagers and internet company employees. Teenagers are guided to adhere to laws, conduct themselves with civility, and follow cybersecurity protocols when surfing the internet. Internet companies are under supervision for their compliance with laws and regulations, and they are also required to guard against legal risks.

4. Strengthening Research and Education on Law-Based Cyberspace Governance

Education and professional practitioners of law-based cyberspace governance underpin a cyber power and drive innovation. Facing major theoretical problems in law-based cyberspace governance and a demand for talented people, China has established a preliminary system for cultivating professionals and conducting research that combines theory and practice, adapts to the development of cyberspace, and provides intellectual support and sufficient talented people for the country’s law-based cyberspace governance.

Source: White paper “China's Law-Based Cyberspace Governance in the New Era” released by China's State Council Information Office