Internet firms apologise for porn links

Two Beijing-based internet firms apologised publicly on their websites yesterday for offering links or content an industry association says is a danger to the nation's youth and morals.

Popular websites zol.com.cn and uusee.com, a Chinese version of YouTube, admitted there was unhealthy content on their sites and promised not to let the violations happen again.

The apologies came a day after the Beijing Internet News and Information Panel posted a message on major websites accusing the two companies of not responding to initial warnings issued on April 3 that the material was 'against social ethical standards, corrupted the social ethos and posed a danger to young hearts and souls'.

The panel was convened by Beijing's Communist Party publicity department in 2004 and comprises officials, representatives of internet firms, experts and randomly selected Net users.

The two companies, together with 70 or so other Beijing-based internet content providers, are members to a 'self-regulating' industry association.

An association member said they came under the spotlight largely because of reports from volunteers that their sites were offering links to pornographic content.

'We have about 100 volunteers reporting website violations to us each month. After independent confirmation by our staff, recommendations for reprimands are sent to the panel for discussion and approval.'