[Intl-tobacco] China: Network Advertisement Law to Ban Cigarettes Ad (fwd)

[Robert Weissman]

Network Advertisement Law to Ban Cigarettes Ad
Source: Tobacco China, Thursday, 2/1/01

The Law of Network Advertisement, drafted by the State Industrial and
Commercial Administration (SICA), is expected to be promulgated in the
first half of 2001.

Advertisement of cigarettes and sexual products will not be allowed to
appear on Internet just as they are banned on broadcasting, film,
television, newspaper and magazine, said Yu Fachang, head of the
Advertisement Management Division of the SICA.

Although the number of Internet users in China is no more than 16.9
million as the official statistics stated last June, Internet users will
expand rapidly throughout the country. Moreover, most of them are young
people.

Article 13 of the Advertisement Law states that Mass media should not
issue advertisement in the form of news reporting. The advertisement of
mass media should bear signs different from non-ad information to avoid
misleading. It is not easy to do so on the Internet. Network ad is
interwoven with other website contents. Some enterprises deem the home
page as a type of advertisement.

The law also bans tobacco advertisement at waiting rooms, cinemas, meeting
rooms, gymnasiums and other public places. Cigarette makers, cigarette
brand, trademarks and designs are all included as tobacco advertisement.
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SOURCE FROM: Sanlian Life Weekly