Intelligent Combat Capability, CAC Regulations for Internet Comments and Information Services for Mobile Internet Applications
Issue 35, 20 June 2022
Hello,
I will be a discussant at the Institute of Chinese Studies (ICS) Wednesday Seminar series on 'Intelligentization in the People's Liberation Army.’ Details are given below. This would be an interesting seminar for those interested in the discourse on PLA.
You can register for the seminar here. Do join :)
I. Military and Warfare
A. Perspectives on New Intelligent Combat Capability
An article by Xue Yanxing (affiliation unknown) in this week's PLA Daily is about intelligent combat capability. The author talks about three types of capabilities.
AI-based cognitive adversarial capabilities
Unmanned clusters, autonomous attack and defense capability
Multi-domain integrated cross-domain collaborative operations
One, the author writes that the AI-based adversarial capabilities will likely make the following changes:
Changes in Perception of confrontation (一是感知对抗): Perception of confrontation changes depending on the transparency on the battlefield. In order to increase transparency on the battlefield, the parties involved will strive to build a networked multi-domain and multi-source battlefield perception system, and establish a standardized data system that integrates multi-source information collection. Classified storage, data mining, analysis and processing, and precise transmission will help implement accurate detection, real-time judgment, and accurate data transmission of multi-domain battlefield situations.
Decision game (二是决策博弈): Commanders at all levels will depend on the 'brain-computer integration' based intelligent auxiliary decision-making system to implement comprehensive analysis and judgment. This intelligent system can be used for accurate calculation and evaluation, simulation deduction, and demonstration. The author says "it is completely possible to realize the combat decision-making based on artificial intelligence and supplemented by human beings."
Psychological attack and defense (三是心理攻防): The author highlights that "emerging communication forms represented by self-media, social media, and live video have gradually become new platforms and mainstream positions for cognitive confrontation." Advanced technologies can be used to carry out "precise strikes on the cognition and emotion of specific social groups and combat opponents, create a favorable public opinion orientation, and then force opponents into chaos or lose their fighting spirit" (以数据信息为武器对特定社会群体及作战对手的认知、情感等实施精准打击，营造有利于己的舆论导向，进而迫使对手陷入混乱或者丧失斗志。)
Two, the author asserts that unmanned and autonomous offensive and defensive attack capabilities will be mainstream in intelligent warfare. This can happen in three ways.
Platform clustering (Píngtái jíqún huà 平台集群化): Unmanned aerial vehicles, unmanned combat vehicles, unmanned boats, unmanned underwater vehicles, bionic robots, intelligent ammunition, etc. will become the focus of military reforms. Such unmanned combat clusters provide scale advantages, cost advantages, autonomy advantages, and decision-making advantages.
Human-machine integration (Rén jī rónghé huà 人机融合化): The advancement in AI and other technologies will enable human-machine integration and its application in the military field. This human-machine integration is important because it will realize real-time communication in complex battlefield environments through real-time information interactions. These interactions can be between brains and brains, brains and aircraft. Such interactions will help improve the accuracy and timeliness of information interaction between troops in extreme combat environments.
Autonomy of offense and defense (Gōngfáng zìzhǔ huà 攻防自主化): The autonomy of offense and defense operations can be achieved under unmanned combat clusters. "The cluster control theory and algorithm based on information elements can enable multi-domain or cross-domain unmanned combat clusters to achieve self-organized group operations through the positive feedback of an unmanned combat platform." (基于信息要素的集群控制理论和算法，可使得多域或跨域无人作战集群通过某一无人作战平台的正反馈，实现自组织群体作战。) Under the unified coordination mechanism, the unmanned combat cluster can form a unified cognition of the battlefield situation in real-time according to the battlefield threat situation.
Three, multi-domain integrated cross-domain collaborative operations. The author asserts that "driven by disruptive technologies dominated by artificial intelligence and supported by a multi-domain or cross-media-based network information system, multi-domain integrated cross-domain operations have become the norm in intelligent warfare." Some excerpts elaborating on this are given below.
Multi-domain fusion (Duō yù rónghé 多域融合): "Driven by technologies such as the Internet of Things, quantum information technology, blockchain, and big data, multi-domain combat forces can closely focus on the same combat purpose or the same combat mission, through globalized, distributed, encrypted, and decentralized cloud linkages." (在物联网、量子信息技术、区块链和大数据等技术推动下，多域作战力量能够紧密围绕同一作战目的或同一作战任务，通过全球化、分布式、加密化、去中心化的云联) "The network information system, based on a unified battlefield situation, forms a new combat form that integrates multi-domain combat forces such as cognitive domain, physical domain, social domain, and biological domain." (网络信息体系，基于统一的战场态势，形成融合认知域、物理域、社会域、生物域等多域作战力量于一体的全新作战形态，实现战)
Cross-domain collaboration (Kuà yù xiétóng 跨域协同): "With breakthroughs in technologies such as artificial intelligence, multidisciplinary cross-integration, and cross-media attack and defense, multi-domain combat clusters will completely open up the information link for cross-domain collaborative operations, enabling them to cross geographic domains, cross functional domains, and cross combat styles around the same combat purpose." (随着人工智能、多学科交叉融合、跨介质攻防等技术的突破，多域作战集群将彻底打通跨域协同作战信息链路，能够围绕同一作战目的跨地理域、跨功能域、跨作战样式)
Gather and release energy (jù yōu shì néng 聚优释能): The purpose of multi-domain integrated cross-domain cooperative operations is to gather multi-domain superior forces, achieve multi-domain fusion, build cross-domain complementary deployment, implement multi-domain aggregation, and form a multi-domain versus the single-domain system. The author highlights how hypersonic weapons such as high-power microwave weapons, laser weapons, electromagnetic guns, and high-speed artillery have changed the nature of traditional offensive and defensive operations.
This is again one of the summary-type articles. It outlines the highlights of what PLA scholars think when they talk about the process of intelligentization and intelligent wars.
Additional Reading
II. SinoSync
Two important notifications were released by China's Central Cyberspace Administration (CAC) last week. First, the "Provisions on the Administration of Information Services for Mobile Internet Applications" (移动互联网应用程序信息服务管理规定) and "Provisions on the Administration of Internet Thread Commenting Services (Revised Draft for Comments)" (移动互联网应用程序信息服务管理规定（修订草案征求意见稿）.)
A. CAC Regulation on Administration of Internet Comments
Notice for Administration of Internet Thread Commenting Services was released on June 17, 2022, for public solicitation of comments. The last date for comments is July 1, 2022.
Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) on Friday revised the regulation for public solicitation of comments on "Administration of Internet Thread Commenting Services" (互联网跟帖评论服务管理规定（修订草案征求意见稿）.) The full notification (Chinese) is available on the CAC website. The unofficial translation by China Law Translate is available here.
These directions are based on the "Cybersecurity Law of the People's Republic of China" (中华人民共和国网络安全法), "Measures for the Administration of Internet Information Services" (互联网信息服务管理办法), and "Provisions on the Ecological Governance of Network Information Content" (网络信息内容生态治理规定).
Who are these revised regulations for?
These regulations refer to Internet websites, applications and other website platforms that have with the public can post opinions and comments. The regulations are also applicable to platforms that provide social mobilization capabilities where users can express themselves by means of posting, replying, leaving messages, and a “barrage” of expressions, pictures, audio and video, and other means.
This means all the applications like video platforms like Blibli, iQiyi, and Youku, all in one social media app WeChat, Twitter equivalent Weibo, communication platform and discussion forum Baidu Tieba, Tik Tok's Chinese version Douyin, social networking site Douban, shopping, and social media platform Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book), video platform Kuaishou, the Chinese version of Quora Zhihu, Linkedin equivalent Maimai, etc. This should also include any platform which provides the facility for commenting and reviews. For example on news aggregation websites like Toutiao.
What are the platforms expected to do?
The following is not an authoritative translation of the notice. These are highlights from the notification to give an idea of the kind of provisions in the notification.
The real identity of registered users shall be authenticated. Unauthenticated users shall not be allowed to post comments.
Platforms and services have to establish and improve the user's personal information protection system.
Those who provide a "barrage" (Dàn mù 弹幕) post comment service should provide the corresponding static version of the information contained on the same platform and page at the same time.
Establish and improve information security management systems. This includes review and management of comments being posted. The content of post comments should be reviewed first and then published, and illegal and bad information should be discovered and handled in a timely manner and reported to the Internet Information Department (网Wǎng xìn bùmén 信部门).
Use the information security management technology of comments and comments, and improve the ability to deal with illegal and bad information, timely discover the risks such as security defects and loopholes in the comment service, take remedial measures, and report to relevant authorities.
Equip a review and editing team suitable for the scale of the service provider to improve the professional quality of review and editors.
Cooperate with the Internet Information Department to carry out supervision and inspection work.
Any new service provider who launches a service or social media which provides a platform to express a public opinion or social mobilization ability will have to conduct a security assessment in accordance with the state regulations.
Service providers are expected to take measures such as warnings, refusing to publish, deleting information, restricting accounts, suspending account updates, closing accounts, prohibiting re-registration, and other measures if needed. Service providers and platforms are also expected to keep records to be provided to the relevant departments.
Service providers shall establish
User classification management system
Conduct credit assessments on users' thread comments behavior
Determine service scope and functions according to the credit level, and
Blacklist users who are seriously untrustworthy (Prohibit blacklisted users from re-registering)
This article by Zeyi Yang further explains the impact of new provisions on Chinese internet platforms.
Monitoring of comments and their active removal is already being done on Chinese social media platforms. This revision bans all unverified accounts from commenting. That means a user won’t be able to comment unless they are verified. This significantly reduces the possibility of misinformation flooding or trolling since temporary accounts are often used for trolling.
This notification is in series of several others where the Chinese government is trying to regulate the internet, especially the social media platforms in China by modelling the behaviour of people online. Disabling the unverified users is one way. There are other ways too. For example, shaping public opinion by planting trolls who would attack people who question government. Encouraging and reward internet users to speak good about government and government initiatives. The infamous Social credit system also helps in shaping up behaviour of people online.
I wonder if these regulations also apply to 50 cent army (Wǔmáo 五毛) or nationalist trolls (Zìgānwǔ 自干五). Perhaps "nationalist trolls" don't have anything to hide.
Additional Reading
China’s Communist party raises an army of nationalist trolls
China’s "Social Credit System" Has Caused More Than Just Public Shaming (HBO)
B. CAC Regulation on Administration of Information Services for Mobile Internet Applications
On June 14, the CAC released the newly revised "Regulations on the Administration of Mobile Internet Application Information Services." The full provisions (in Chinese) are available on the CAC website. These regulations will come into effect from August 1, 2022, and will replace the regulation first implemented in 2016.
The new regulations require application providers and application distribution platforms to fulfill the main responsibility of information content management. This regulation, like the one on monitoring the comments on internet, also emphasizes verifying the identity of users.
Who is this regulation for?
The notification applies to the “application information service.” This includes services that provide users with text, picture, voice, video, and other information production, reproduction, publishing, dissemination, and other services through their application. The applications include instant messaging, news, knowledge quizzes, forums, and communities, online live broadcast, e-commerce, online audio and video, life services, etc.
What are the provisions?
The detailed provision is available on the website. The regulations cover data security, data privacy, measures to curb disinformation, review and daily management, emergency response, authentication, etc. I am listing the ones I found interesting.
For example, Article 17 says, "the application distribution platform shall file with the network information department of the province, autonomous region, or municipality directly under the Central Government where it is located within 30 days of its online operation." (第十七条 应用程序分发平台应当在上线运营三十日内向所在地省、自治区、直辖市网信部门备案。) After the filing is complete, the relevant department will announce the list of application distribution platforms that have gone through the filing procedures.
Article 9 says "Application providers shall not induce users to download by means of false propaganda, bundled downloads, etc., by means of machine or manual brushing, brushing, and reviewing, or using illegal and bad information." (第九条 应用程序提供者不得通过虚假宣传、捆绑下载等行为，通过机器或者人工刷榜、刷量、控评等方式，或者利用违法和不良信息诱导用户下载).
Megha Pardhi is a Research Analyst at The Takshashila Institution. She tweets at @pardhimegha21.