Major Chinese technology companies such as Alibaba D ByteDance (owner tik tak) provided the authorities with detailed information about their algorithmsin an unprecedented gesture that is part of Beijing’s attempt to control the sector, the regulator announced.
Under a law passed in March, companies must guarantee to the Chinese regulator that their algorithms fall into the legal framework.
“At this point, the authorities have not explicitly asked companies to change their algorithms”explains Angela Zhang, a specialist in Chinese law at the University of Hong Kong.
“Regulators are collecting information at the moment,” he adds.
How Apps Work
On the other hand, on Friday, the Chinese Cyberspace Administration released details for the first time on technology companies’ use of their algorithms.
Online trading leader, Alibabarecommends, for example, new products based on browsing history and user searches.
Short video app doyin (version tik tak for the Chinese market) makes recommendations based on the time people spend on each piece of content.
Algorithms, the basis of success
algorithmsthe backbone of the digital economy, are the engine of much of the applications and services on the Internet, so companies tend to keep them secret.
With these tools, you can analyze large amounts of user data and automate recommendations according to their practices or habits.
Faced with this opacity, the authorities seek to better define legislation algorithms.
For two years, the Chinese authorities have shown particular intransigence towards the sector of technology companies, whose practices they track, until then widespread.
In this regard, several large companies were fined for violations in the field of personal data protection, competition and user rights.
Last month, Didi, China’s leading chauffeur-driven vehicle (VTC) company, was fined $1.215 million for violating data protection regulations. (AFP)
We recommend you METADATA, an RPP tech podcast. News, analytics, reviews, recommendations and everything you need to know about the world of technology. To hear better, #StayHome.
Source: RPP
I’m Liza Grey, an experienced news writer and author at the Buna Times. I specialize in writing about economic issues, with a focus on uncovering stories that have a positive impact on society. With over seven years of experience in the news industry, I am highly knowledgeable about current events and the ways in which they affect our daily lives.