China: 'Purifying the internet'

2009-01-05 19:15

Beijing - China launched a major crackdown on internet pornography on Monday, targeting popular online portals and major search engines such as Google.

Seven government agencies will work together on the campaign to "purify the internet's cultural environment and protect the healthy development of minors", said a statement by the information office of the State Council, China's Cabinet.

Pornography is banned in China, although the government's internet police struggle to block websites based abroad.

The government announcement said Google and Baidu, China's two most heavily used search engines, had failed to take "efficient" measures after receiving notices from the country's internet watchdog that they were providing links to pornographic material.

The statement also named popular web portals Sina and Sohu, as well as a number of video-sharing sites and online bulletin boards, that it said contained problematic photos, blogs and postings.

The statement, which was posted to a news and information website managed by the State Council, said violators will be severely punished, but did not give details or say how long the campaign will last.

A Google spokesperson in China, Cui Jin, defended the site's operations, saying it is a search engine and does not generate any pornographic content. The company obeys Chinese law, she said.

"If we find any violation, we will take action. So far, I haven't seen any examples of violations," Cui said.

Baidu did not immediately return an e-mail seeking comment, and phones at Sina and Sohu rang unanswered.

'Subversive' or 'too political'

China has the world's largest population of internet users at more than 250 million.

The central government has blocked access to many websites it considers subversive or too political, including The New York Times' website on December 19. It was unblocked a couple of days later and remained open on Monday.

Beijing loosened some media and internet controls during the 2008 Summer Olympics - gestures that were meant to show the international community that the games had brought greater freedom to the Chinese people.

During the August games, China allowed access to long-barred websites such as those of the BBC and Human Rights Watch. Those websites remained open on Monday.

In the past the Foreign Ministry has defended China's right to censor websites that have material deemed illegal by the government, saying that other countries regulate internet usage, too.

- AP