The National Copyright Administration of China (NCAC), together with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), the Ministry of Public Security (MPS), and the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) recently launched “Jianwang 2020” Campaign against online infringement and piracy that is the 16th round of its kind. Since 2005, aiming at hotspot and difficult issues of online infringement and piracy, NCAC and other authorities have been renovating the copyright order in such areas as online video, music, literature, news, cloud storage, app stores, as a special effort against online infringement and piracy. With many major cases successively investigated and handled during these campaigns, online infringement and piracy has been effectively combatted and deterred, and the copyright order in such areas as online video, online music, and online literature has been restored, which is highly affirmed by domestic and foreign right holders.

To cope with the new challenges of copyright protection online, the Campaign this year, which spans from June to October, focused on five key areas. First, carrying out special copyright rectifications of audiovisual works. The copyright protection for theatrical films and short videos will be prioritized, to more effectively prevent the spread of infringing and pirated works through streaming media software and hardware. Second, carrying out special copyright rectifications of e-commerce platforms. Strict measures will be taken to supervise the copyright order of e-commerce giants by cracking down on both the sale of pirated books, audiovisual products, e-publications, and databases, as well as links to pirated works, including the accounts and passwords for pirated works in cloud storages, and the use of pirated images, music, videos, etc. in the design and operation of online stores. Third, carrying out special copyright rectifications of social platforms. More efforts will be made to shore up the copyright protection for news works, further regulate the dissemination of copyrighted photographic works, and shut down social platform accounts infringing copyright maliciously. Fourth, carrying out special copyright rectifications of online education. Greater copyright protection will be provided for “Xuexi Qiangguo”, an online education platform. The infringement in online education and training will be vigorously rectified, and the industrial chains for the gray area companies based on pirated online courses will be cut off. Fifth, consolidating the achievements of copyright governance in key areas. The infringement and piracy through private servers and plug-ins of online games will be harshly cracked down on, the copyright licensing systems for online music improved, the copyright supervision for major knowledge-sharing platforms strengthened, and the achievements made in such areas as online literature, animation, cloud storage, app stores, online advertising alliance, etc. consolidated.

According to an official of NCAC, during the Campaign, the priority will be given to investigating and handling cases. Those involved in online infringement and piracy cases will be subject to severe punishment. Those whose infringing or pirating acts cause great harm to society and are strongly opposed by the public will be punished more severely in accordance with the law. The report of clues on infringement and piracy by netizens is very welcome. Copyright-related enforcement departments at all levels will motivate network-based companies to actively fulfill their responsibilities as major players and jointly combat online infringement and piracy through social co-governance.