China punishes Internet firms for spreading porn

BEIJING -- The Ministry of Culture on Tuesday announced a list of Internet firms suspected of spreading pornography and gambling, including Tencent and Baidu.

Mobile game platforms run by the two firms and another nine Internet companies were alleged to be involved in pornography, gambling and violence, according to a ministry statement.

The statement also chastised comic and animated products on 21 websites provided by companies including the China Telecom and Tencent, for containing bloody, terror and violent content.

The document added that some products seemed to be intentionally playing the pornography card, challenging accepted moral values.

The companies will be fined and the amounts published later, said Liu Qiang, a deputy director in the market department of the ministry.

Liu said the ministry planned to establish a blacklist of companies that repeatedly break rules and impose harsher punishments on them.

"We hope that major companies can shoulder their due social responsibilities and offer healthy, quality, cultural products," said the official.

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