China Pledge To 'Protect' The Internet

Published: Sunday, February 26, 2006 Online-Casinos.com

CHINA PLEDGE TO 'PROTECT' CYBERSPACE

With raids everywhere, Chinese media take the pledge

Chinese authorities have been active over the past year to say the least, launching raids on Internet cafes and the like in efforts to halt online gambling in a country with a rich tradition of gambling.

The enthusiasm of the authorities seems to have rubbed off on China's Internet media and content providers, who have pledged to protect cyberspace from gambling and other "unhealthy content" through self-regulation and legal measures recently.

According to Xinhua, the call to "take the pledge" was made at a regular meeting held by the Internet News Service Work Committee under the Internet Society of China (ISC) in Haikou, capital of China's southernmost island province of Hainan.

"In 2005 alone, we received 127,010 complaints from the public, including 8.15 percent about gambling frauds," said Li Jiaming of the ISC.

Li said since his centre was established on June 10, 2004, it has received 240,000 complaints from the public regarding gambling and other "unhealthy Internet content".

The work committee passed several self-regulation agreements in 2005, pledging to improve the conduct of Internet Industry Participants and promote and ensure the sound development of the Internet industry in line with the law.

China, with 111 million Internet users, is the world's second largest Internet market only after the United States. However, a report released by the government said earlier this month that each of its e-mail subscribers receives an average of 16.8 pieces of junk e-mails per week, which are 60 percent of the total e-mails they receive.

Enforcing the pledge is not likely to be popular, as several at the meeting commented - strong public reactions indicate that the campaign of "...purifying the Internet will be tough and arduous."

The ISC has decided on the establishment of a five-member expert group to help set up a legal system and conduct "public ethics education" on the Internet.