Society
Porn providers via mobile targeted in crackdown
By Jin Zhu (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-02-18 09:47
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Offensive material transmitted via mobile phones will be the main target of a crackdown on Internet porn, it was announced Wednesday, as authorities unveiled tougher measures to clean up the telecommunications industry.
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) said in a statement on its official website that it will introduce tougher measures to fight illegal mobile phone and Internet content providers as it has become much easier for them to evade supervision by the relevant authorities.
Internet service providers should regularly check the content of websites, cut off irregular websites and put them on a blacklist, the MIIT document said.
As pornographic content usually exists as a result of subcontracting out servers, the MITT has asked operators to provide effective remediation measures to streamline the problem.
Owners of pornographic web sites have been able to evade authorities through technical tactics, such as frequently switching domain names and IP addresses, according to a report on PC World's online edition Tuesday.
Counter-tactics used by authorities include a blacklist to prevent pornographic web sites from reappearing online and the design of content-filtering technology to help network operators block obscene content.
All of the measures aim to "protect the healthy growth of the next generation and clean the social environment," the MIIT statement said.
The Ministry of Culture said in a recent notice that it plans to draft a regulation on the management of mobile entertainment this year, which will also focus on cleaning up mobile porn.
The country issued third generation mobile network licenses to its three mobile carriers last year.
Due to a lack of efficiency in monitoring the new technology, the illegal pornography industry has increasingly shifted its focus to mobile phones because of the faster download speed on pictures and videos.
