China apps.jpg (Photo : Reuters)
Amid growing concern for safety in today's digital world, China's internet watchdog is looking to regulate the development of smartphone applications.
Cyberspace Administration of China assistant director Peng Bo said that aligning internet development with legality will be a major problem, but the administration will apply the rule of law as "basis of online improvement."
The issue of security when using smartphones was raised at the start of the China Internet Conference held on Oct. 26 in Beijing. The event will conclude on Oct. 28.
Officials who kick-started the conference agreed that the fast growth of the smartphone market has come with personal risks associated with easy acquisition of apps. Viruses spread via apps and illegal prying into personal information were two of the noted risks.
Zu Wei, a communications law professor at the China University of Political Science and Law, said that authorities must start issuing rules covering smartphone apps in order to protect users and for the industry to develop healthily.
"Some of the apps have loopholes. Their inventors or operators only care how to attract mobile phone users and rarely supervise the content of these products, which has brought negative effects to the public," Zhu said.
Lu Wei, head of the State Internet Information Office, said in another event that China is working on updated internet regulations that will also cover the smartphone app industry.
Director of the Beijing branch Tong Liqiang said that Beijing will form a special committee to oversee websites and users.
