Beijing: China has banned websites from
advertising or linking to games that glamourise violence,
another step in the country`s censorship campaign aimed at
ensuring social stability ahead of the 60th anniversary of
communist rule on October 1.
A notice posted on the Culture Ministry website
yesterday said games that promote drug use, obscenities,
gambling, or crimes such as rape, vandalism and theft are
"against public morality and the nation`s fine cultural
traditions."
"Such online games promote glorification of mafia life
... and are a serious threat to the moral standards of society
causing vulnerable young people to be adversely affected," the
notice said.
The ban on the websites starts immediately.
No details were given on how the law would be
implemented, but the notice called for law enforcement bodies
to ensure websites adhere to the new law.
China has the world`s largest population of Internet
users, more than 298 million, and the world`s most extensive
system of web monitoring and censorship.
While the government claims the main targets of its
web censorship are pornography, online gambling, and other
sites deemed harmful to society, critics say that often acts
as cover for detecting and blocking sensitive political
content that can be found on sites such as Facebook, YouTube
and Twitter, which are all blocked in China.
Bureau Report
