Special Action Against Online Porn

Notice Regarding the Launch of the Special Action Against Online Pornographic Information

As of now, Internet pornography has not stopped despite repeated prohibitions nor caved under repeated attacks, causing serious harm to the physical and psychological health of minors and seriously corrupting social morality. It is abhorred by all by all parts of society and the public has vigorously called for a strict rectification. So as to follow the law and crack down on conduct using the internet to make and transmit pornographic information, the national working group the elimination of pornographic and illegal publications, the State Internet Information Office, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and Ministry of Public Security have decided to launch a unified nationwide special action against online pornographic information "the anti-pornography - Clean-Net 2014" campaign from mid-April to November 2014. Notice on this matters is given as follows:

I. Comprehensively root out online pornographic information. All localities and relevant departments will conduct a comprehensive and thorough review of internet sites, search engines, software application stores and other Internet information service providers and network television drives, set-top boxes and other equipment. Any text, images, video, advertising or other information containing pornographic content including will be immediately deleted without exception.

II. In accordance with law, strictly punish enterprises and personnel creating or transmitting pornographic material. Websites, channels or columns with serious problems of creating or transmitting pornographic information, will be resolutely ordered closed for rectification or closed down in accordance with law, and relevant administrative licenses revoked in accordance with laws and regulations. Illegal websites will without exception be shut down or have their network registration revoked in accordance with law. On the basis of the laws and regulations such as the "Criminal Law of the PRC" and the Supreme People's Court and Supreme People's Procuratorate's Interpretation on Several Issues on the Specific Application of Law in Handling Criminal Cases of Exploiting the Internet and Other Means to Transmit Pornographic Digital Information, criminal Liability will be pursued where there is suspicion that a crime is constituted by the creation, reproduction, publication, sale or transmission of pornographic digital information. Relevant criminal or administrative liability will be pursued against business operators such as telecommunication services, internet access services, advertising services, collection services providing capacity for transmission of pornographic information. From the date of this announcement, follow relevant laws and provisions to give stern punishments to those creating or transmitting pornographic information.

III. Strictly implement the responsibility of Internet enterprises. Each Internet site, basic telecommunication operations enterprise and internet entry service enterprise will immediately initiate self-inspections and self-corrections, actively clearing online pornographic information or links, strictly implementing information safety management systems and perfecting content review and checkpoint systems and developing technological measures for the preventing the transmission of pornographic information; they must not provide capacity or channels for the transmission of pornographic information.

IV. Strictly pursue liability for malfeasance and dereliction of duty. In accordance with the relevant management duties, where there is lax regulation of the creation and transmission of pornographic information causing a heinous social influence, strictly follow the law or disciplinary rules to hold the responsible parties at relevant industry regulatory departments or administrative approval or records departments responsible for dereliction of duty. For basic telecom operators or internet information services that violate laws or rules, strictly pursue the legally-designated representative and principle management personnel for responsibility in accordance with law.

5. Invite public complaints and whistleblower reports. V. Reward whistle-blowers in accordance with the measures for rewarding whistleblowing and protect whistle-blowers' personal information and safety in accordance with law. The national work group for the elimination of pornographic and illegal publications' reporting Center Web site is www.shdf.gov.cn, its telephone hotlines are 12390, 010-65212870 and 65212787; the reporting center for illegal and undesirable internet information is at net.China.com, its reporting phone line is 12377 and its reporting inbox is jubao@china.org.cn; the 12321 network center for receiving reports of undesirable information and spam has a reporting center address at www.12321.cn, its reporting hotline is 010-12321 and the inbox for reports is abuse@12321.cn; the website for reporting online violations and crimes is www.cyberpolice.cn.

Notice is hereby given.

Office of the National Working Group for the Elimination of Pornography and Illegal Publications - The State Internet Information Office - Ministry of Industry and Information - Ministry of Public Security