The trial of the developer behind an online video-hosting platform accused of distributing pornography has sparked intense debate on the mainland over whether such platforms should be held responsible for the content that appears on them.
The hearings, broadcast live online on Thursday and Friday, have impressed viewers for the witty defences offered by Shenzhen-based Kuaibo Technology, the developer of the popular peer-to-peer video player QVOD.
But they have also prompted cautions that public opinion should not interfere with the workings of the court.
Four executives of the company, led by CEO Wang Xin, are standing trial in Beijing’s Haidian district court, with the company accused of distributing 21,000 files of pornographic material on three servers run by QVOD.
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The hearings, lasting 20 hours and broadcast on Sina Weibo, attracted over 1 million views.
The last court hearing to prove so popular was that of top Communist Party official Bo Xilai more than three years ago.