China takes action on thousands of websites for 'harmful', obscene content
China takes action on thousands of websites for
'harmful', obscene content
Thu Dec 15, 2016 | 9:44am EST
China has shut down or "dealt with" thousands
of websites for sharing "harmful" erotic or obscene content since
April, the state's office for combating pornography and illegal publications
announced on Thursday.
The office said 2,500 websites were prosecuted or shut
down and more than 3 million "harmful" posts were deleted in eight
months up to December during a drive to "purify" the internet in
China and protect youth, the official Xinhua news agency reported.
The government has tightening its grip on Chinese
cyberspace in recent months, in particular placing new restrictions on the
fast-growing live-streaming industry.
The state has a zero-tolerance approach to what it
considers lewd, smutty or illegal content and has in past crackdowns removed
tens of thousands of websites in a single year.
Two popular news websites were also punished for
spreading "illegal" content, Xinhua reported. It did not elaborate.
Aside from live-streaming, the office worked alongside
the Ministry of Public Security, the ministry of Industry and Information
Technology and the Cyberspace Administration of China to target cloud storage,
chat apps and "vulgar" videos.
Social media platforms have become a key tool for
spreading illegal content and mobile pay platforms including Alipay and WeChat
pay have allowed individuals to make big profits, the office said.
(Reporting by Christian Shepherd; Editing by Robert
Birsel)
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