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China's Supreme People's Court (SPC) has issued new provisions to adjust the case jurisdiction of the nation's specialized Internet Courts, effective November 1, 2025. The move aims to sharpen the courts' focus on novel and complex digital disputes that are central to the evolving digital economy.
The provisions signal a strategic shift for the Internet Courts in Beijing, Hangzhou, and Guangzhou. Their dockets will now prioritize pioneering areas of digital law, while transferring more traditional online disputes to other local courts.
Key Changes in Focus Areas
The most significant update is the introduction of four new case types under the exclusive jurisdiction of the Internet Courts:
- Disputes over ownership, infringement, and contracts related to online data
- Cases involving online unfair competition
- Disputes over the ownership and infringement of online virtual property
- Cases concerning online personal information protection and privacy rights
Concurrently, several categories of cases have been removed from the Internet Courts' purview. These include standard online financial loan contracts, certain copyright infringement cases related to online publication, and general online defamation disputes. This allows the Internet Courts to dedicate more resources to setting legal precedents in emerging and complex digital fields.
Continued and Expanded Role
The Internet Courts will retain jurisdiction over several key areas, including:
- Disputes related to internet domain names
- Contracts for online shopping and services concluded via e-commerce platforms
- Online public interest litigation filed by procuratorates
Furthermore, their jurisdiction now explicitly covers administrative and international cases related to the newly added focus areas, such as disputes over online data regulation and cross-border online unfair competition.
This jurisdictional refinement is expected to enhance the specialized capability of the Internet Courts, providing a more predictable legal environment for businesses operating in China's digital space.
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