China shuts down another 16,000 websites in porn crackdown

BEIJING, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- China had shut down 16,000 more web sites which are found to contain lewd or pornographic content as of Wednesday during the latest crackdown.

Statistics from the International Communication Office of the CPC Central Committee show that, since the crackdown was launched in last December, more than 850,000 pictures and 1.3 million messages with lewd or pornographic content were deleted.

Also, more than 30 online novels and 15 mobile phone games were halted.

An official with the office said the campaign made significant breakthroughs in striking the profit chains for porn web sites as the lewd content on the Internet in the country were obviously reduced and the tendency of spreading such information through cell phones was kept under control.

According to the official, 24 network operators were named and shamed for providing services for such web sites.

Since the country issued measures on rewarding tip-offs on porn web sites in last December, a total of 476 whistlers had been rewarded 395,000 yuan (57,800 U.S. dollars).

Earlier this month, the country issued a judicial interpretation which further clarified that production, replication, publication, sale and spread of obscene electronic information (video) involving minors aged under 14 via Internet or mobile WAP sites will be recognized as a crime.

China has more than 338 million Internet users, and more than 60 percent are younger than 30, according to the China Internet Network Information Center.

On Dec. 8, the country launched a new round of crackdown on spread of pornographic contents through Internet or mobile WAP sites to "purify the social environment." The campaign is expected to run through May.