Campaign targets copyright infringements of Asian Games

More than 191,000 items that infringed the copyrights of the 19th Asian Games, which was held in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, have been removed from the internet during a campaign launched by China's top copyright regulator.

The National Copyright Administration said on Tuesday it has shut down 149 websites and 37,000 accounts with Games-related infringements, since it started to tackle piracy related to the sports event in late August.

Unauthorized broadcasts of the games, spreading the games' programs without permission and piracy of the games' mascots and emblem on livestreaming, social, e-commerce and video sharing platforms are major targets during the campaign, which will end on Sunday, the administration said. The 19th Asian Games was held from Sept 23 to Oct 8 in Hangzhou.

Meanwhile, to strengthen copyright protection of films, the administration said that it has increased inspections and monitoring in cinemas and online platforms since early this year to prevent works from being illegally filmed.

A number of people who distributed pirated films have been given administrative punishments, and more than 53,000 pirate web links have been stopped and 224 illegal apps closed, it added.