NOTE: This translation was originally published on the China Copyright and Media blog, a project of DigiChina’s Prof. Rogier Creemers of the University of Leiden. It has not been edited, double-checked, or standardized with DigiChina’s original content. Read more.

Article 1: In order to standardize Internet information search services, stimulate the healthy and orderly development of the Internet information search sector, protect the lawful rights and interests of citizens, legal persons and other organizations, and safeguard national security and the public interest, on the basis of the “National People’s Congress Standing Committee Decision concerning Strengthening Online Information Protection” and the “State Council Notice concerning Authorizing the Cyberspace Administration of China to Take Responsibility for Internet Information Content Management Work”, these Regulations are formulated.

Internet information search services as named in these Regulations refers to services using computer technology to collect and process all kinds of information from the Internet and present it to users for retrieval. 

Article 3: The Cyberspace Administration of China is responsible for supervision, management and law enforcement work of Internet information search services nationwide. Local Internet information offices are, on the basis of their respective duties and responsibilities, responsible for supervision, management and law enforcement work of Internet information search services within their administrative areas.

Article 4: Internet information search services sectoral organizations shall establish and complete sectoral self-discipline structures and sectoral norms, guide Internet information search services towards establishing and creating service norms, supervise Internet information search service providers to provide services according to the law and accept social supervision, and increase the professional cultivation of Internet information search service employees.

Article 5: Internet information search service providers shall obtain corresponding qualifications as laid down in laws and regulations. 

Article 6: Internet information search service providers shall implement their dominant responsibility, establish and complete information security management systems including information examination and verification, real-time public information inspections, emergency response and personal information protection, etc., have secure and controllable prevention measures, and provide the necessary support to relevant departments exercising their duties and responsibilities according to the law.

Article 7: Internet information search service providers may not provide information content prohibited by law or administrative regulation through links, abstracts, screenshots, keywords, related searches, related recommendations and other such forms.

Article 8: Internet information search service providers shall, when discovering search results clearly contain information, websites or applications prohibited by laws or administrative regulations during the process of providing services, they shall cease providing related search results, preserve relevant records, and timely report the matter to the national or local Internet information office.

Article 9: Internet information search service providers and their employees may not pursue improper gain through severing related links or providing search results containing false information, or other such means.

Article 10: Internet information search service providers shall provide objective, fair and authoritative search results, they may not harm the national interest, the public interest, or the lawful rights and interests of citizens, legal persons and other organizations.

Article 11: Internet information search service providers providing paid-for search information services, shall verify the relevant credentials of clients according to the law, determine an upper limit of the proportion of the page for the paid=for search information, visibly differentiate natural and paid-for search information, and indicate paid-for search information results with a clear symbol.

Internet information search service providers providing commercial advertising information services shall abide by relevant laws and regulations.

Article 12: Internet information search service providers shall establish and complete public complaints, reporting and user rights protection systems, publish complaints and reporting methods in a clear location, actively accept public supervision, timely deal with complaints and reports from the public, and bear liability for compensation for harm inflicted on users’ rights and interests.

Article 13: These Regulations take effect on 1 August 2016.

互联网信息搜索服务管理规定　　第一条为规范互联网信息搜索服务，促进互联网信息搜索行业健康有序发展，保护公民、法人和其他组织的合法权益，维护国家安全和公共利益，根据《全国人民代表大会常务委员会关于加强网络信息保护的决定》和《国务院关于授权国家互联网信息办公室负责互联网信息内容管理工作的通知》，制定本规定。　　第二条在中华人民共和国境内从事互联网信息搜索服务，适用本规定。　　本规定所称互联网信息搜索服务，是指运用计算机技术从互联网上搜集、处理各类信息供用户检索的服务。　　第三条国家互联网信息办公室负责全国互联网信息搜索服务的监督管理执法工作。地方互联网信息办公室依据职责负责本行政区域内互联网信息搜索服务的监督管理执法工作。　　第四条互联网信息搜索服务行业组织应当建立健全行业自律制度和行业准则，指导互联网信息搜索服务提供者建立健全服务规范，督促互联网信息搜索服务提供者依法提供服务、接受社会监督，提高互联网信息搜索服务从业人员的职业素养。　　第五条互联网信息搜索服务提供者应当取得法律法规规定的相关资质。　　第六条互联网信息搜索服务提供者应当落实主体责任，建立健全信息审核、公共信息实时巡查、应急处置及个人信息保护等信息安全管理制度，具有安全可控的防范措施，为有关部门依法履行职责提供必要的技术支持。　　第七条互联网信息搜索服务提供者不得以链接、摘要、快照、联想词、相关搜索、相关推荐等形式提供含有法律法规禁止的信息内容。　　第八条互联网信息搜索服务提供者提供服务过程中发现搜索结果明显含有法律法规禁止内容的信息、网站及应用，应当停止提供相关搜索结果，保存有关记录，并及时向国家或者地方互联网信息办公室报告。　　第九条互联网信息搜索服务提供者及其从业人员，不得通过断开相关链接或者提供含有虚假信息的搜索结果等手段，牟取不正当利益。　　第十条互联网信息搜索服务提供者应当提供客观、公正、权威的搜索结果，不得损害国家利益、公共利益，以及公民、法人和其他组织的合法权益。　　第十一条互联网信息搜索服务提供者提供付费搜索信息服务，应当依法查验客户有关资质，明确付费搜索信息页面比例上限，醒目区分自然搜索结果与付费搜索信息，对付费搜索信息逐条加注显著标识。　　互联网信息搜索服务提供者提供商业广告信息服务，应当遵守相关法律法规。　　第十二条互联网信息搜索服务提供者应当建立健全公众投诉、举报和用户权益保护制度，在显著位置公布投诉、举报方式，主动接受公众监督，及时处理公众投诉、举报，依法承担对用户权益造成损害的赔偿责任。　　第十三条本规定自2016年8月1日起施行。