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China shut 128,000 'harmful' websites in 2017: Report

WION Web Team
New Delhi, Delhi, IndiaUpdated: Jan 09, 2018, 03:25 AM IST
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According to reports, 10,300 pornographic sites were also banned. Photograph:(Reuters)

In order to achieve the mission of "tightening control" over internet content, China banned 128,000 websites containing obscene information, a report said.

China is on a drive to control internet content in an effort to maintain "social stability" and reduce fake news that floats on the internet.

According to reports, 10,300 pornographic sites were also banned.

Chinese authorities also shut over 128,000 websites that contained "harmful information" last year and deleted 4.55 million posts.

The official Chinese news agency Xinhua published the information attributing official government data.

According to the news agency, with websites shutting down, 30.9 million "illegal publications" were also banned last year.

Also, 1,900 people were subjected to criminal penalties.

In 2016 several major portals run by companies like Tencent, Baidu, Weibo were fined by China's internet regulator for not properly censoring the content ahead of a major conference of the Chinese Communist Party.

The Chinese government is also making efforts to controls the "academic work".

The authorities have refused Chinese journalists from accessing papers and books on sensitive topics like Tibet, Taiwan and the 1989 crackdown on Tiananmen Square.

(With inputs from news agency)