A dozen of major
Beijing-based Internet portals have called for the industry's joint efforts to
clean their Websites off unhealthy contents, especially messages of sex and
violence.
In a joint proposal drawn up on Sunday, owners of 14 websites, including
Sina.com, Sohu.com, Baidu.com, and Yahoo's Chinese Website, called on all
Internet portals across the country to stem "unhealthy Internet cultures."
"We absolutely oppose to indecent on-line messages that are against social
virtues and Chinese people's good culture and traditions," the proposal said.
"No indecent texts and photos, no search agents for such contents, no links
to unhealthy websites, and no carrying games with sex and violence contents," it
proposed.
The proposal urged Internet portals not to carry illegal, obscene, and "poor
taste" photos, text or audio messages on on-line forums, chat-rooms and web
blogs.
China has roughly 111 million Internet users, with the majority being the
country's young generation. The Chinese government has launched campaigns to
clean up the cyber space, in a constant effort to provide the young with a
healthy cultural environment.
People's Daily, a leading Chinese newspaper, on Monday published a
commentary, speaking highly of the proposal.
"It shows the mainstream of China's Websites are healthy and positive. They
are responsible, competent, and confident to join the fight against indecent
on-line messages," it said.
"Only a handful of Internet portals are taking advantage of the loophole of
Internet management system, and sabotaging the interests of the people and the
country," the paper said.
"It seems that websites carrying indecent messages have good market potential
and gain profits, but as these websites betray the interests of the majority of
people, they won't stay long," the commentary said.