Op-Ed Contributors

Curtain pulled over thousands of porn websites

(China Daily)
Updated: 2010-02-12 07:56

China had shut down 16,000 more websites that were found as of Feb 10 to contain lewd or pornographic content during the nation's latest crackdown.

Since the crackdown began last December, more than 850,000 pictures and 1.3 million messages with lewd or pornographic content were deleted, according to statistics from the International Communication Office of the CPC Central Committee.

More than 30 online novels and 15 mobile phone games were also halted.

The campaign has made significant breakthroughs in targeting the profit chains for porn websites, with lewd online content reduced and the spreading of such content through cell phones kept under control, said an official with the office.

According to the official, 24 network operators were named for providing services for such websites.

Since the country issued measures on rewarding tip-offs on porn websites last December, 476 whistlers have been rewarded 395,000 yuan ($57,800).

Earlier this month, the country issued a judicial interpretation that said that the production, replication, publication, sale and spread of obscene electronic information (video or photos) through the Internet or mobile WAP sites of minors under the age of 14 will be prosecuted as a crime.

China has more than 338 million Internet users, and more than 60 percent are younger than 30, according to the China Internet Network Information Center. On Dec 8, the country launched a new crackdown on the spread of pornographic content through the Internet or mobile WAP sites. The campaign is expected to run through May.

Xinhua

(China Daily 02/12/2010 page9)