China cracks down on Internet porn aggressively
The Chinese government has been known for its strict Internet regulation policies. The crackdown on various types of sites such as pornography has been sporadic in the past. However, it seems like the government is fully flexing its muscle as it has been revealed that a large scale investigation has been happening behind the scenes.
According to The Straits Times, the Chinese government recently announced that law enforcement agencies around the country have arrested more than 5,000 people this past year linked to the involvement of Internet pornography. Officials indicated that tougher online policing will be enforced in 2010 as part of enhancing ‘state security.’
The Chinese government has always enforced censorship of violence and pornography on the Web. However, the government has become more aggressive by offering cash rewards to those who report offending Web s ites. According to reports approximately 9,000 illegal porn sites have been shut down so far.
The announcement was made on the country’s official Ministry of Public Security site. The statement posted on the site also revealed that the Chinese government was committed to cracking down on pornography on the Internet as it poses a threat to the “welfare of children.”
Apparently, the punishment for those caught involved with Internet pornography will suffer harsher consequences. China currently has the largest population of online users. It has to be extremely taxing for the government to maintain the mammoth sized firewall that blocks porn from all over the world.
With the user base already outnumbering that of the U.S., it will only be a matter of time before efforts to control the Web will become to difficult. It seems like this is also another opportunity to strengthen the government’s agenda for restricting certain unpopular ideas across the country. Only time will tell if this is another sporadic incident or more of a long term agenda.
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January 2nd, 2010
It’s typical that oppressive governments are obsessed with sexuality. “OMFG! Nude! Nooooo!”
Stupid 17th century lunatics.
January 3rd, 2010
This is good. As well know excessive porn has some very bad side effects, including but not limited too unwanted computer viruses, lack of work being done, and sweaty, hairy palm syndrome.
January 3rd, 2010
It would be far more interesting if the author would (could?) quote the standards the chinese use for defining pornography. Somehow, I think they differ from ours. Or will, if we ever get there.
January 3rd, 2010
Having been to China myself, and actually did some browsing throught the Great Firewall of China, they actually have a lenient definition for porn. Skimpy bikinis were OK, but anything revealing was a no go.
This, compared to Islamic countries, which have a broad definition of ‘porn’…