China Ramps Up Antiporn Mission by Regulating .cn Sites

BEIJING — China is ramping up its war against online porn, with the government’s latest crackdown making it impossible for webmasters to obtain a .cn suffix unless they can prove they are a government-registered business or organization.

The China Internet Network Information Center, which administers China's domain-name registrations, also plans to continue periodic investigations of existing domains for pornographic content. More than 1,000 sites have been deleted by the CNNIC this year in the antipornography campaign.

The .cn suffix was intended for company websites, but that was loosely enforced, leading independent blogs and other noncommercial sites to use the suffix. According to CNNIC, this led to the registration of sites that purvey obscenity and "false information."

It still is possible to register other suffixes from within China, such as .com and .net., but those domains can be blocked in China,

China's antiporn campaign, initiated in August, has closed countless Chinese mobile and Internet sites. The government on Wednesday said it would draft a regulation specifically for WAP sites, which provide Internet service for mobile phones, before March next year,

Authorities also have begun offering rewards for tips leading to more closures.

Google Inc.'s Chinese site and Alibaba Group's Yahoo China site have been accused by authorities of facilitating the spread of vulgar content. Both companies made adjustments to their sites after the allegations, without admitting any wrongdoing.

Chinese officials also frequently block access to overseas websites, such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, which have been inaccessible for most Chinese users since earlier this year.

Related:  

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

2025 XBIZ Miami Speaker Lineup Announced

XBIZ is pleased to announce the release of the full speaker lineup for XBIZ Miami, the latest edition of the adult industry’s premier creator conference, set to take place May 19-22 at the Nautilus Sonesta Miami Beach hotel in South Beach.

AV Bulletin: Arizona's About-Face, What New Laws Mean for Adult

Industry stakeholders and free speech advocates have anxiously been awaiting the Supreme Court’s decision in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, which could significantly impact state age verification laws around the United States. In the meantime, state legislatures continue to weigh and pass AV bills, the U.K. and the EU are moving ahead with their own AV mandates and strategies, and legal challenges continue to play out in U.S. courts — with some cases on hold pending the SCOTUS ruling in Paxton.

Million Billion Media Launches New Website

Management and PR agency Million Billion Media (MBM) has launched a new website.

'Neon Nightswim' Party Returns to XBIZ Miami

XBIZ is pleased to announce that the annual Neon Nightswim Pool Party will once again illuminate XBIZ Miami on Tuesday, May 20.

FSC Addresses UK Age Verification Guidelines

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has published an article offering guidance on the U.K.'s Online Safety Act and the various guidelines put forward by the country's telecommunications regulator Ofcom.The article follows:

European Commission Posts AV Guidelines, Seeks Feedback

The European Commission has made public its draft guidelines on protecting minors online under the Digital Services Act, including age verification requirements covering adult sites and platforms.

'White-Hot' Party Set to Kick Off XBIZ Miami

XBIZ is pleased to announce that the annual White-Hot Party, the official opening bash of XBIZ Miami, is set for Monday, May 19, at Mynt Lounge in South Beach.

AEBN Publishes Popular Searches for March, April

AEBN has announced the top search terms for March and April from its straight and gay theaters in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Takedown Piracy Adds 'Search Max' Feature

Takedown Piracy has launched Search Max, a search engine for detecting, verifying, and removing Google infringements.

Sex Workers' Group Fights Proposed Swedish Ban on 'Remote' Sexual Services

The European Sex Workers’ Rights Alliance (ESWA) has launched a campaign against a Swedish government proposal to expand current laws against purchasing sexual services to apply to acts performed remotely by cammers, streamers and custom content creators.

Show More