The Executive Yuan approved a draft bill regulating Internet cafes yesterday, three weeks after a similar draft bylaw regulating the city's information-recreation service providers passed its third reading at the Taipei City Council.
The Executive Yuan's draft will be sent to the Legislative Yuan for further review and final approval.
Internet cafe proprietors would be required to register as information-recreation service providers within a year after the regulations take effect.
Addressing the media at the Government Information Office (GIO) yesterday after the Cabinet's weekly closed-door meeting, GIO Director general Su Tzen-ping (
"The ultimate goal is to regulate the industry by specifying the location of the cafes and their operating hours, and by denying access to pornography and gambling services," Su said.
Su added that Taipei City should abide by the national law should the legislature pass the draft bill.
Taipei City Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) said that the city will implement the municipal bylaw if the Cabinet voices no disagreement one month after being sent notification by the city. The city sent the notification letter on Nov. 27.
Ma added that it does not matter whether there are discrepancies between the city and Cabinet regulations.
"What really matters is to enact a law to regulate the industry with the aim of pushing it in a cleaner and healthier direction," he said.
Among the major discrepancies are regulations on the Internet cafes' location and operating hours.
While the municipal version prohibits Internet cafes from being set up within 200m of schools, the Cabinet's regulations would forbid Internet cafes from being within 50m.
The city rules stipulate that minors under the age of 15 will be barred from entering such facilities unless accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. The Cabinet, however, proposes extending the age limit to 18.
In addition, the city's Internet cafe owners will face fines ranging between NT$50,000 and NT$100,000 if they allow those under the age of 15 to enter their facilities between 8am and 6pm or between 10pm and 8am during weekdays. On weekends and holidays those under 15 years of age are barred between 10pm and 8am.
The Cabinet proposed prohibiting minors under the age of 15 from entering such facilities on weekends and holidays and between 10pm and 8am. In addition, those under the age of 18 would be barred from entering such facilities between 10pm and 8am every day.
The Cabinet's proposed rules would also require proprietors to install devices designed to screen Internet content and prevent access to pornography and gambling services.
Proprietors failing to register before opening for business would face a fine of between NT$500,000 and NT$2.5 million.
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