China clamp down on YouTube & co
China has signalled its intent to impose even tighter controls on video-sharing websites such as YouTube.
New rules coming into force at the end of January will force all such websites to be operated under licence by state-controlled companies.
The move is a response to what Chinese authorities yesterday termed the “broadcast of degenerate thinking” on the Internet.
Many Western sites have long been blocked by China’s Great Firewall, and access to sites such as YouTube has been intermittent for years, forcing many websites to seek hosting within mainland China.
The new regulations will curtail the rampant video-sharing scene within China, where online videos represent a popular alternative to state television.
Although there are already laws in China against any content featuring politically sensitive issues, pornography and gambling, tighter control of the sites most likely to feature potentially provocative videos will give the government tighter rein, with the threat being operators could be shut down with no notice.
With the common perception being that China is becoming more liberal and Westernized, the Chinese government have been ramping up their calls for greater morality and civil obedience.
However, the new regulations are unlikely to force the closure of local video-sharing sites like Youko and Tudou; despite them being privately owned. They are more likely to be used as a threat to ensure good behaviour.
It is though likely to be another hurdle to foreign investors keen to buy a stake in the fast-growing Chinese market.
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