Porn peddlers go mobile

• Source: Global Times
• [05:24 November 20 2009]
• Comments

By Guo Qiang

The government has effectively reduced the obscene content in the country's Internet sphere, but porn profiteers have countered by moving their virtual stores to mobile phone services.

Chinese media, including official voices such as CCTV and People's Daily, are championing a new campaign against so-called mobile pornography, targeting mobile phone operators who have diminished the impact of the government's crackdown.

People's Daily reported yesterday that the Anti-Porn and Illegal Publication Office announced Tuesday the launch of a nationwide crackdown on mobile porn content to "protect the mental and physical health of young people."

"The Ministry of Public Security and relevant departments have been dealing with (the proliferation of) porn websites in phone services since earlier this year, but why hasn't it ended?" the paper asked.

Like the People's Daily report, CCTV, China Youth Daily and other media across the country have also been exposing the surge in mobile pornography, pointing their fingers at the biggest mobile carriers.

According to Wednesday's CCTV report, for every 2 yuan (about $0.30) a WAP (wireless application protocol) website charges for a porn download, the website may get 1 yuan, and the mobile operators and service providers split the rest.

The mobile operators were quick to respond to the media storm. Ma Li, a spokesman for China Mobile, said the company started inspecting its members' alleged breach of rules following the media reports, vowing to terminate such services, China National Radio reported Wednesday.