For a long time, China adapted successful concepts from Europe in data policy. But with the new set of rules for the regulation of algorithms, the Chinese legislators are breaking new regulatory ground and could become a global pioneer.
Recommendation algorithms are one of the most widespread types of Artificial Intelligence in use today. So far, politics has not dared to regulate the highly complex formulas. After all, nobody knows how government interventions will affect the innovative strength and growth of the important tech industries.
For decades, Europe was a leader in data policy – probably also because regulation particularly affects the large tech companies from the USA. The European General Data Protection Regulation is a milestone in data protection legislation. Plans in the EU are also well advanced when it comes to the regulation of artificial intelligence.
But while the right concept is still being debated in Brussels, this time Beijing is rushing ahead and creating facts. This is all the more remarkable as the domestic Internet platforms such as the e-commerce conglomerate Alibaba and the social media group Tencent are in the focus of regulators.
In Europe, but also in the USA, we will now be watching closely what happens when we regulate the way tech companies use algorithms. If elements of the Chinese approach prove successful, they could be adopted on a larger scale. This applies in particular to the consumer protection aspect of the law: if, for example, Internet users will actually be able to see in the future the attributes based on which certain advertisements are displayed to them. Or if you have the opportunity to delete individual features. Such specifications could become the standard worldwide if successful.
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Beijing is increasing state access to the digital world
Of course, the new law is not just about protecting consumers and maintaining competition. As always in China, it is ultimately a question of maintaining power for the Communist Party. Beijing is consolidating state access to the digital world. Internet platforms are supposed to spread “positive energy”. A euphemism for propaganda.
The growing total control also includes measures of censorship, surveillance and repression, which is rightly a source of massive criticism in the West. But it would be a mistake to dismiss tech regulation in China only from this point of view.
More: Beijing is pushing ahead with the regulation of algorithms – and consolidates access to tech companies