Jiang Ying, vice-president of the Beijing Internet Court, led a group to survey online education and investigation the industry's judicial service needs.

The group visited such large online education services providers as NETEAST, Tomorrow Advancing Life and Tencent on Dec 2.

A deep understanding of online education gained through investigating the businesses could inspire new views and thoughts on any legal issues arising from the study of intellectual property rights in the online education area, said Jiang at a symposium during the visit.

The survey, carried out by the court and China Intellectual Property News, aimed at promoting the industry's development and ensuring judicial judgments play a leading role in the industry and strengthen its guidance.

Representatives of the legal departments of the businesses, based on the court's questionnaire and their own situations, introduced the industry's product features, creation models, protection methods, rights safeguarding measures and difficulties, as well as their judicial needs.

The attendees discussed the development direction of online education in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, technological protection of IPR, legal issues and amendment of copyright laws.

Jiang said that the court is facing new challenges brought by the pandemic, such as  how to encourage innovation, promote cultural transmission and make online education play its role.

The court hopes that through the survey it will gain an in-depth understanding of the industry and its judicial needs so that it can promote the healthy development of online education as a service to society and a contribution to building a sound law-based environment, said Jiang.