Government to Regulate Online Mapping Sector
China Popular Computer Week, 4/21/08
An internal source at the General Administration of Press and Publication (GAPP) claims that documents pertaining to the regulation of the online mapping industry have reached the desks of upper level officials and that regulation of the industry will begin sometime before the end of May. Initiation of the new regulations has been held off until May, partly to allow authorities to complete the current investigation stage, and also to give those websites who wish to conform to the regulations a chance to rectify any problems in advance. Those websites that fail to conform to the market entry regulations will be shut down. The source stated that Google Earth was definitely one of the companies being monitored, and that it was receiving close attention.
In 2007, the State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping found there were 8,962 websites providing maps, and 595 providing geographical information services. 99% of the maps posted had failed to gain approval from the relevant national or provincial surveying and mapping authorities, and were therefore in violation of the law.
Editor's Note: Recently, 8 Chinese ministries co-issued the "Recommendations on Strengthening Oversight and Management of Online Mapping and Geographical Data Service Websites". For details, please see "Online Map Publishing to Require State Council Approval", MD 3/26/08 issue.
Keywords: Google Earth GOOG statistics 2007 GAPP Google Internet law online mapping regulation State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping State Council
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