China targets Google in pornography crackdown

China warned Google and other popular web portals that they must do more to block pornographic material from reaching the country’s users.

The warning is the latest in a series of government crackdowns targeting internet content.

It focused on pornography, but is part of a larger Chinese effort to control freedom of expression and root out material it considers destabilising, such as sites that criticise the Communist Party, promote democratic reform or advocate Taiwanese independence.

Pornography is banned in China but remains widely available on and off the internet. Popular Chinese web portals frequently show sexually explicit pictures and provide links to pornographic websites.

The announcement said Google and Baidu, China’s two most heavily-used search engines, had failed to take “efficient” measures after receiving notices from the country’s internet watchdog that they were providing links to pornographic material.

Google said it abided by Chinese law and did not generate pornographic content.

The Chinese statement also criticised popular web portals Sina and Sohu, as well as a number of video sharing sites and popular online bulletin boards such as Tianya, that it said contained problematic photos, blogs and postings.

Beijing loosened some media and internet controls during the 2008 Olympics - gestures that were meant to show the international community that the games had brought greater freedom to the Chinese people, but the Chinese government remains wary of losing its control over the internet, which could be used for organised opposition to the rule of the Communist Party.

China has the world’s largest population of internet users with more than 250 million.