China’s tech regulator says scrutiny of internet industry to deepen as targeted six-month campaign continues
- The head of China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said scrutiny of the internet sector will deepen and pledged support for small businesses
- The agency is three months into a six-month campaign to fix perceived problems with the digital economy, such as poor data security practices

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) will take “targeted measures” to foster a fair and orderly market environment, Minister Xiao Yaqing told state-run media outlet Economic Daily in an interview published on Sunday.
Xiao’s comments come three months into a targeted campaign to purge what it considers problems in the internet sector. It has become another element of Beijing’s intensifying scrutiny of numerous parts of the digital sector over the last year, hitting everything from social media to financial services. The MIIT is one of China’s most important tech regulators.
In its current campaign, the MIIT has pledged to address issues that include poor data security practices, forcing users to accept personalised services, and blocking or restricting access to competing services, a common practice among China’s internet giants that keeps users locked into specific app ecosystems.
Since the campaign started, multiple Big Tech companies have been opening up their platforms to comply with new regulatory requirements. The results could eventually be wide-ranging, affecting how these companies compete with each other.