China released two regulations on Monday on managing online media employees and the adoption of new Internet technology for news websites.
"The lack of training and unsatisfactory professional ability of media staff have resulted in occasional inappropriate reporting behavior, which has led to illegal information on some websites…," the regulations issued by the State Internet Information Office (SIIO) reads.
The information office has since ordered online media organizations to provide at least 40 hours of training to their staff every year, including at least 10 hours on the Marxist view of journalism, an SIIO spokesperson said.
The Internet information office's national and local levels will establish a management system, credibility files and a blacklist of media staff, the regulations said.
The unregulated application of online media technologies has also been blamed for the spread of illegal content. Outlaws have used new technologies in social media, self-media, instant messengers, search engines and live broadcasts to post illegal content and conduct criminal activities, according to the regulations, while some service providers have been blamed for poor security awareness and a lack of security management.
The SIIO will take charge of security assessments for new technologies and applications, and service providers must establish an information security management system to adopt new technologies and must not publish or spread information forbidden by law and regulations, the regulations added.
The security assessment will examine the risk level of new technology and application for their ability to shape public opinion and social mobilization, the spokesperson said.