China’s Ministry of Public Security issued regulations for “computer information networks and the Internet,” setting broad rules against using the internet to harm state security, spread prohibited content, or support criminal activity. These rules helped establish a legal framework that later supported nationwide filtering and enforcement.
China began the Golden Shield project under the Ministry of Public Security, aiming to build large-scale systems for policing and information control. The project is widely linked to the technical and administrative growth of the system commonly called the “Great Firewall.”
The State Council issued the “Internet Information Service Management Measures” (State Council Decree No. 292), which structured internet information services into categories and set licensing and compliance expectations. These measures became a core building block for regulating online publishing and platform operations.
China’s State Council issued regulations governing “internet access service places” (internet cafes and similar venues). This extended control beyond backbone networks into physical access points, including rules that supported identity checks and monitoring requirements in public browsing spaces.
The State Council Information Office and the Ministry of Information Industry issued rules to regulate internet news information services. The rules required authorization for online news reporting and commentary, strengthening licensing controls over major portals and other publishers.
Access to Wikipedia in China was broadly blocked beginning in October 2005. In late 2006, access was reported to be restored for some users and versions, showing how filtering could be adjusted over time and by service provider while sensitive content remained constrained.
China’s regulators issued rules commonly known as “Circular 56,” which required licensing and stronger oversight for internet audio-visual program services. This helped bring fast-growing online video platforms under a clearer approval and enforcement structure.
China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology planned to require the Green Dam Youth Escort filtering software on new PCs sold in mainland China starting July 1, 2009, then delayed and later softened the requirement. The episode showed an attempt to extend content control directly to end-user devices, not only network gateways.
Google stopped censoring results on Google.cn and redirected users to its Hong Kong site, shifting the censorship conflict from inside a licensed service to cross-border access. The move highlighted how filtering and licensing pressures could shape the availability of major global platforms in mainland China.
China’s top legislature (NPC Standing Committee) adopted a decision on strengthening online information protection that included real-name identity requirements with service providers. It also set duties for providers to stop illegal information transmission, keep records, and support investigations.
China’s Supreme People’s Court and Supreme People’s Procuratorate issued a joint judicial interpretation on online defamation and “rumors.” It introduced widely cited thresholds (such as 5,000 views or 500 reposts) for treating certain defamatory online speech as a serious criminal case.
Reports in early 2015 described disrupted access to several popular VPN services and linked this to tighter enforcement against tools used to bypass blocked websites. This marked a shift toward more systematic pressure on circumvention methods, reinforcing the Great Firewall’s practical effectiveness.
China's Great Firewall: Regulatory Campaigns and Technical Expansion (1997–2015)