Chinese Government Celebrates Massive Removal of 'Pornographic, Harmful' Online Content

Chinese Government Celebrates Massive Removal of 'Pornographic, Harmful' Online Content

BEIJING — China’s main censorship agency, the National Office Against Pornographic and Illegal Publications, released a statement today announcing the removal of over 8 million “pieces of pornographic and other harmful material” during the first half of 2020.

According to the agency’s announcement, 12,000 websites were removed under the umbrella terms “pornography and harmful content,” which can include various non-sexually-related categories.

Platforms where some of this “pornographic and harmful” material were removed included big local tech companies like the Youku and iQiyi video streaming sites, forum Baidu Tieba and even Douyin, the original version of TikTok.

The censorship operation, dubbed Net Net 2020 was hailed in the announcement put out today by the Service Center of China’s Central Propaganda Department.

According to the announcement, “the anti-crime department severely cracked down on obscene pornography and vulgar information, and carried out special rectification in the fields of live webcasts, short videos, social groups [and] online literature.”

Also caught in the operation was the app and website Love Academy, censored for spreading “PUA [Pick-Up Artist] and other unhealthy information” to Chinese men.

'Cultural Garbage'

The statement includes a quote from an agency spokesperson explaining that the goal of Net Net 2020 was “to crack down on obscene and pornographic information, and resolutely remove cultural garbage, [protect] young people's physical and mental health, earnestly safeguard the cultural rights of the people and effectively build a good network order and clear network space.”

As XBIZ previously reported, last month the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) announced it has decided to “punish” 10 livestreaming platforms for "chaotic content,” including “pornography,” “revealing clothing on female cam stars” and "vulgar hot dances.”

Prominent Chinese platforms like Bilibili and iXigua (owned by TikTok’s parent company ByteDance) “have been reprimanded and ordered to suspend new user registration and overhaul their feeds,” according to Agence France-Presse’s China bureau.

“The 10 platforms are required to ‘rectify’ their content and add the most egregious live-streaming offenders to a cross-platform blacklist,” AFP reported.

Platforms in the U.S. are currently shielded from similar government-led attacks for third-party content by Section 230 of the Communications Act, though both 2020 presidential candidates have asked for the repeal of the so-called "First Amendment of the internet."

Copyright © 2024 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

Braindance Unveils '6DOF' VR Tech

Interactive virtual reality platform Braindance has debuted its new Six Degrees of Freedom (6DOF) VR technology.

Kiiroo, Pineapple Support Launch 'Empower Hour' Series on FeelHubX YouTube Channel

Kiiroo and Pineapple Support have teamed up to launch the “Empower Hour” series on the FeelHubX YouTube channel.

Kansas Law Firm Deploys Religion, Bunk Science While Recruiting Plaintiffs Under AV Law

Kansas-based personal injury law firm Mann Wyatt Tanksley is promoting debunked scientific theories and leveraging religious affiliation against the industry while it seeks potential plaintiffs for lawsuits against adult companies under the state’s age verification law.

UK Tech Secretary Lists Age Verification Among OSA Priorities

Peter Kyle, the U.K.’s Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, on Wednesday made public a draft version of his priorities for implementing the Online Safety Act (OSA), including age verification.

AEBN Publishes Popular Seraches by Country for September, October

AEBN has released its list of popular searches from its straight and gay theaters in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Avery Jane Featured on 'Adult Time Podcast'

Avery Jane is the latest guest on the “Adult Time Podcast,” hosted by studio CCO Bree Mills.

FSC: Kansas Law Firm Threatens Adult Site Over Age Verification

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has been notified that Kansas law firm Mann Wyatt Tanksley has sent a letter threatening an adult website with a lawsuit for breaking the state's age verification law.

10th Circuit Rejects Final FSC Appeal in Utah AV Case

The United States Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit on Monday rejected a motion by Free Speech Coalition (FSC) requesting that the full court rehear its appeal in Free Speech Coalition v. Anderson, the industry trade association’s challenge to Utah’s age verification law.

Trump Nominates Project 2025 Contributor, Section 230 Foe to Chair FCC

President-elect Donald Trump has nominated, as his pick to head the Federal Communications Commission, Brendan Carr — an author of Project 2025 who has called for gutting Section 230 protections.

Streamate's Elevate Partners With Miss Mei on Decriminalization Initiative

Streamate’s Elevate initiative is debuting a November collaboration with creator and community advocate Miss Mei that will highlight the modern criminalization of sex work.

Show More