China’s new cyber law just kicked in and nobody’s sure how it works

China’s controversial new cybersecurity law came into effect Thursday in the face of criticism and confusion from international companies.

The new law is meant to strengthen the protection of personal information and combat online fraud. But some experts say it’s vague and leaves foreign businesses, especially tech firms, confused about how it will affect their operations.

For one thing, Chinese lawmakers approved the law late last year, but left many of the details regarding rules and implementation to regulators like the Cyber Administration of China, the country’s internet regulator.

“The legislators kicked the can on some of the more difficult aspects,” said Paul McKenzie, a managing partner at law firm Morrison & Foerster in Beijing.

While the law has officially taken effect already, the internet regulator says the work of putting in place the new rules and standards isn’t finished yet, according to a transcript of a news conference posted on its website Wednesday.

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