China launches crackdown on internet pornography

Beijing: China is launching a crackdown on internet pornography, targeting major search engines such as Google and Baidu.
An announcement on government website China.com.cn said the campaign starting Monday aims to stop search engines from listing links to pornographic sites or images.

Seven government agencies will coordinate on the campaign to "purify the Internet's cultural environment and protect the healthy development of minors."

The announcement said authorities were targeting major search engines in China such as Google, Baidu, Sohu and Sina. It said violators will be severely punished, but did not elaborate.

Pornography is banned in China, though the government's Internet police struggle to block pornographic websites based abroad.