Chinese Internet Firms Pledge Self-Discipline, Again

• Posted by bbishop
• on November 7th, 2011

From The AFP’s China web firms vow to curb ‘harmful’ information:

The heads of China’s largest Internet and technology firms have vowed to stop the “spread of harmful information” on the web after attending a three-day government workshop, state media said Sunday.

Nearly 40 companies, including e-commerce giant Alibaba, online portal Sina ($SINA) and search engine Baidu ($BIDU) attended the seminar hosted by the State Internet Information Office, an online watchdog, the official Xinhua news agency said.

During the discussion, which ended Saturday, the bosses reached a “common agreement” to “safeguard” the spreading of positive information online and “strengthen self-management and self-discipline”, the report said.

They also agreed to “resolutely curb Internet rumours, Internet pornography, Internet fraud and the illegal spread of harmful information” to develop the web into a “positive and beautiful spiritual home”.

Industry and information technology minister Miao Wei also ordered Internet companies to increase their investment in “tracking surveillance” — reflecting growing anxiety among top leaders over the increasing influence of the web.

The original Chinese report is here.

This is not a surprise. Self-discipline and self-management have been pillars of the government’s Internet controls for years.

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