The Measures follows complaints by President Xi Jinping that prohibitions against using the Internet to “advertise” religion are easily eluded, and more should

The Measures follows complaints by President Xi Jinping that prohibitions against using the Internet to “advertise” religion are easily eluded, and more should be done to make sure that the Internet and social networks are not used as tools for “religious propaganda.” The Measures require an “Internet Religious Information Service License,” which can only be granted to organizations part of the five authorized religions (since they should be “legally established,” which is only possible within the five government-controlled organization), to disseminate religious content via the Internet. Any other reference to religion on the web is declared illegal.