Monday, Jan 5, 2009    Text size: 

The Ministry of Public Security and six other Chinese government agencies have targeted Google and Baidu, as well as 17 other websites, in an attempt to “purify the Internet’s cultural environment and protect the healthy development of minors,” according to the Associated Press.

“Some websites have exploited loopholes in laws and regulations,” said Cai Mingzhao, a deputy chief of the State Council Information Office. “They have used all kinds of ways to distribute content that is low-class, crude and even vulgar, gravely damaging mores on the Internet.”

Chinese officials have threatened these websites with exposure, closure and other forms of “stern punishment.”

Cui Jin, a Google spokeswoman in China, says there is no pornographic content in Google China, but “if we find any violation, we will take action. So far I haven’t seen any examples of violations. If [users] find content that is contrary to Chinese law, they can report it to Google. And if we find it’s truly illegal, we’ll deal with it according to the law.”

Baidu officials had no comment at time of post.