China Strengthens Management of Mobile Apps

The Cyberspace Administration of China, also known as the State Internet Information Office (国家互联网信息办公室) (the “CAC”), recently posted on its website a brief acknowledgement that on January 13, 2017, the CAC circulated to the provincial level offices of the CAC the Notice for Registration Management of Online App Stores (关于开展互联网应用商店备案工作的通知) (the “App Stores Regulations”). Although the CAC did not post the official version of the App Stores Regulations on its website, the provincial CAC offices subsequently issued notices concerning these regulations. Those subsequent notices indicate that the CAC will now start enforcing previously issued rules that require mobile app stores to register with the CAC and to be responsible for the content of the mobile apps distributed through their stores.