The copyright regulator on Thursday announced stricter rules on music streaming, updating a copyright system that has been out of sync with the way people listen to music for years.
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Online streaming services must stop providing unlicensed music to users, said the National Copyright Administration (NCA) in a statement published on its website. Service providers were required to remove unlicensed music by the end of July.
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As part of "Sword Net 2015", the anti-piracy campaign aims to improve online copyright management, better protect royalty holders and restore confidence in the copyright system, said the NCA.
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The administration added that the move was in line with China's copyright law and regulations. Those who do not follow the order will be seriously punished.
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How the regulation will affect the streaming industry is yet to be seen, as Internet users are used to free music through smart phone apps such as Alibaba-backed Xiami Music and Tencent-backed QQ Music.Â