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China's Internet media calls for self-discipline
(www.jojad28.cn)
Updated: 2006-02-25 21:03
A big majority of China's Internet-based media representatives have called
for strengthening self-discipline in order to ensure a smooth and healthy ascent
of China's Web business, and to facilitate information dissemination.
Chief executives from China's overseas-listed Internet firms, and sector
experts said at a seminar in Hainan that the fact that China is home to 111
million Internet-hooked population, the world's second largest after the United
States, testifies to the effective and benign policies, that benefits its rapid
development.
However, it remains an arduous task on their shoulders to continue to oversee
and ferret out "illegal and harmful" information, typically obscene and
pornographic content, that poisons the young and vulnerable, especially the
children.
Experts and sector representatives have expressed the hope that the
government should improve the legal framework to better guide its progressive
growth. They said that some self-governing rules by the Internet firms on
forbidding porn and illegal information have been well-received by the public.
Li Jiaming, director general of China Internet Illegal Information Reporting
Centre, said his organ has received more than 240,000 reports from the public
complaining illicit or irregular Internet-related content and acts, since its
launch in June 2004. Of the total clues reported, 68.2 percent are porn related,
and 8.15 percent about Web gambling and fraudulence.
Li said that the sole search for profits while neglecting the "social merits"
of the long-cherished Chinese culture is despicable. The increasing requirements
from the public for regulating the sector manifest that those illicit Internet
activities must be brought under scrutiny.
Some website representatives said a responsible Internet outlet must
implement self-discipline, always bear in heart the ultimate interests of the
public and the state, and win the support of the netizens through providing
high-quality content.
During the meeting, an experts group concerning Internet legal and moral
education was set up, led by Professor Xiong Chengyu of the Qinghua University.
The Internet Information Service Commission has 171
members.
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