CHINESE INTERNET: Standardized Regulation

In my "Chinese Internet: Page Not Found" we explore the Chinese government's extreme measures to censor Chinese Internet users online content access. The social implications of the proposed pre-installation of the Green Dam Youth Escort software were discussed, but now let us take a look at another new type of filter that will potentially affect Chinese Internet business models. The Search Engine Marketing Standard and Regulation was initiated just last month (September) 2009 by three major players in Chinese Internet: the Internet Society of China, China Communication Standards Associations, and Baidu. This new system "represents a new development stage within the Internet search engine marketing sector in China. SEM "provides definitions for industrial terms of search engine marketing as well as the reference regulations and the procedures to be followed for this business. It gives authoritative and universal explanations for definitions and knowledge involved in SEM and helps enterprises learn about the various links for SEM." Also, it gives insight into how the sector could potentially evolve in the future and focuses on "granting SEM scope of business activities to dually licensed SEM advertising agencies rather than the current hordes of companies who use simpler consulting business licenses to provide SEM services."

SEM's filtering properties have the potential to be beneficial to both the producers and consumers. By limiting and regulating the numerous amounts of advertisements that bombard Chinese Internet, it seems that Internet users have a better chance of being "protected" from many product and service scams. However, the companies that are advertising on Chinese websites now have to be weary of the content and depictions in their ads. The art of traditional advertising will be tested with SEM because the usual enticing and appealing ads might not be enough to pass SEM standards to be placed online. Also, it seems that the appropriateness of advertisements would determine which ads get preference over others advertising similar products or services. This could potentially affect the structure of advertising, as advertisers attempt to conform to SEM standards just to be able to get competitive ad space. With the creation of SEM, company marketing divisions will need to come up with innovative tactics to lure Chinese consumers, and at the same time, convince Chinese Internet "filters" that they are "worthy" to be advertised on China's unsaturated and desired Internet...

Check out this website: China Tech News