Chinese Web sites push for Internet industry censorship

Major Chinese portals have issued a joint proposal calling on the industry to eliminate pornographic and violent content from Web sites, state media reported.

An AFP report, quoting Xinhua News agency, said the Web sites that signed the joint proposal included 14 Beijing-based Web sites such as the popular Sina.com, Sohu.com, Baidu.com, and Yahoo's Chinese Web site.

The Web sites said they were blocking the so-called 'unhealthy' content and urged all Internet portals to join them, Xinhua News agency said.

'We are absolutely opposed to indecent online messages that are against social virtues and Chinese people's good culture and traditions,' the proposal, quoted by AFP, said.

The portals urged Web sites to self-censor indecent or obscene texts, photos or audio messages from online forums, chatrooms or blogs and online games, the report said.

The Chinese government had also launched campaigns to 'clean up' cyber space. It regularly shuts down Web sites that offered contents on sex, gambling or politically sensitive issues, the report said.