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China tightens online platform price conduct rules, targets algorithmic abuse

( December 22, 2025, 04:01 GMT | Official Statement) -- MLex Summary: China has issued new rules tightening oversight of how online platforms set prices and compete. The Internet Platform Price Conduct Rules — issued jointly on Saturday by the State Administration for Market Regulation, National Development and Reform Commission and Cyberspace Administration — prohibit platforms and in-platform operators from unfair price competition practices and misleading conduct enabled by algorithms, data and platform rules. It also bars platforms from forcing merchants into loss-making prices. Regulators are empowered to carry out joint investigations, require platforms to establish internal price-compliance systems, retain pricing and transaction data, cooperate with probes and complete algorithm filings, while allowing leniency for minor violations corrected promptly. The rules will be valid for five years starting on April 10, 2026.The full text of the rules follows....

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