China sets deadline for Big Tech to clear algorithm issues, close ‘echo chambers’
Latest move to tighten regulation comes amid soaring use of algorithms for content recommendation, e-commerce and gig work distribution
A three-month campaign to address “typical issues with algorithms” on online platforms was launched on Sunday, according to a notice from the Communist Party’s commission for cyberspace affairs, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and other relevant departments.
System providers should avoid recommendation algorithms that create “echo chambers” and induce addiction, allow manipulation of trending items, or exploit gig workers’ rights, the notice said.
They should also crack down on unfair pricing and discounts targeting different demographics, ensure “healthy content” for elderly and children, and impose a robust “algorithm review mechanism and data security management system”.
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Tech companies have been told to “conduct in-depth self-examination and rectification to further improve the security capabilities of algorithms” by the end of the year.
