(Yicai Global) Jan. 4 -- China has brought out a set of new regulations to promote artificial intelligence algorithm best practices in the Internet sector and better protect the rights of both individuals and organizations as AI algorithms become increasingly important in the harvesting and sorting of online personal data.

AI algorithms must not differentiate consumers by weighting them differently and they must not influence public opinion, the Cyberspace Administration of China said today.

Providers must abide by the law and not engage in monopolistic practices, the regulations said. They are forbidden from releasing fake news or issuing any news from non-state-run institutions.

The new rules, which will come into effect from March 1, mainly focus on the use of algorithms in data filtering systems to predict and influence customer tendencies. They include personalized push notifications, ranking and sorting, screening and decision-making. As such, they should not offer consumers biased services, such as varying prices, based on their spending habits.

The new law prohibits providers from luring children and adolescents into Internet-surfing. But it urges them to develop the service for older generations who need more assistance online.

All website providers are required to publish the basic principles, aims and mechanisms of their algorithm service and offer users a convenient method of stopping the push recommendations if they do not wish to receive them.

Editor: Kim Taylor