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China Embarrasses teh West
China begins blocking websites after shaming MSN, Google over porn distribution
11 Jan 2009, 1919 hrs IST, Saibal Dasgupta, TNN
BEIJING: China has blocked 41 websites after getting Goggle and other search engines to apologise for carrying porn and lewd content. This is among the measures taken by the government to "purify" the Internet during a month-long campaign launched last week.
The Chinese government has been using sophisticated equipment and software for blocking entire web sites or specific pages of certain web sites that do not meet with the moral and political standards of the authorities. But the main focus of censorship has mostly been sites that have politically sensitive material. This time around, the government focus has been expanded to cover pornography.
The government crackdown initially involved 19 search engines including Google and Chinese portals like Baidu, who were asked to remove the sexually lewd content from their sites. The government then expanded its campaign to cover 14 more sites including the Microsoft-run MSN. It also scolded Google and other sites for not reacting immediately to its orders resulting in apologies from the sites.
MSN came in for attack for having a large amount of inappropriate images on its film channel and some "selected pictures" in its social messaging section.
Internet police is also believed to be active in posting the government's views in chat rooms and bulletin boards besides urging web users to expose websites that cross the line.
The government is worried because majority of Internet users happened to be younger people below the age of 30. The country has the largest population of Internet users estimated at 253 million in June by the state-sponsored China Internet Network Information Center.
The CNNIC said 80 percent of these users look for information and news through the Internet. Around 60 percent of them use search engines. Users less than 30 account for 69 per cent of the total.
A statement issued by the Special Operation Office for Crackdown on online Porn and Lewd Content said the blocked sites have violated the top legislature's regulations and other laws regarding public distribution of sexual images. Different government departments and ministries including the State Council, which is the country's cabinet, the ministries of Public Security and Culture are involved in the crackdown.
Distribution of pornography is illegal in China. But it is only now that the government has launched a concentrated campaign to wipe it out from the Internet in order to create a healthy environment for children.
11 Jan 2009, 1919 hrs IST, Saibal Dasgupta, TNN
BEIJING: China has blocked 41 websites after getting Goggle and other search engines to apologise for carrying porn and lewd content. This is among the measures taken by the government to "purify" the Internet during a month-long campaign launched last week.
The Chinese government has been using sophisticated equipment and software for blocking entire web sites or specific pages of certain web sites that do not meet with the moral and political standards of the authorities. But the main focus of censorship has mostly been sites that have politically sensitive material. This time around, the government focus has been expanded to cover pornography.
The government crackdown initially involved 19 search engines including Google and Chinese portals like Baidu, who were asked to remove the sexually lewd content from their sites. The government then expanded its campaign to cover 14 more sites including the Microsoft-run MSN. It also scolded Google and other sites for not reacting immediately to its orders resulting in apologies from the sites.
MSN came in for attack for having a large amount of inappropriate images on its film channel and some "selected pictures" in its social messaging section.
Internet police is also believed to be active in posting the government's views in chat rooms and bulletin boards besides urging web users to expose websites that cross the line.
The government is worried because majority of Internet users happened to be younger people below the age of 30. The country has the largest population of Internet users estimated at 253 million in June by the state-sponsored China Internet Network Information Center.
The CNNIC said 80 percent of these users look for information and news through the Internet. Around 60 percent of them use search engines. Users less than 30 account for 69 per cent of the total.
A statement issued by the Special Operation Office for Crackdown on online Porn and Lewd Content said the blocked sites have violated the top legislature's regulations and other laws regarding public distribution of sexual images. Different government departments and ministries including the State Council, which is the country's cabinet, the ministries of Public Security and Culture are involved in the crackdown.
Distribution of pornography is illegal in China. But it is only now that the government has launched a concentrated campaign to wipe it out from the Internet in order to create a healthy environment for children.
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