ONI Country Profi le
281
programs are further prevented from presenting content that pertains to all but one
of the prohibitions listed under the 2005 provisions.
86 The Provision on Internet AV
Programming Services was strengthened on March 30, 2009, with the addition of 21
additional types of content that Internet audiovisual service providers were required
to edit or delete. These content categories range from sexually provocative or pornographic content; to content that promotes “ a negative or decadent outlook, world
view, or value system, or deliberate exaggeration of the ignorance and backwardness
of ethic groups or social ills ” ; to content that calls “ for religious extremism, provocation of confl ict between religions, religious sects, or between believers and nonbelievers, hurting the feelings of the public, ” among others.
87 Within these updated rules,
Internet AV program service providers are also mandated to “ improve their program
content administration systems by hiring well-qualifi ed service personnel to review
and fi lter content ” so that content does not violate existing and new rules.
88
With the explosion of an active blogosphere in China, the government implemented the Convention on Blog Service Discipline
89 in 2007, which was signed by
blog service providers including the People ’ s Daily Online, Sina, Sohu, Netease,
Tencent, TOM, MSN China, and Qianlon.
90 According to the convention, blog service
providers should “ abide by state laws, regulations and policies, safeguard the legitimate
blog users and the public interest. ” Blog providers must also have an end-user agreement with terms of service for the blogger to abstain from disseminating rumors or
false information and to delete postings considered bad or illegal. The blog provider
has to encourage real-name registration, supervise and manage content, and remove
illegal content or cease blog services.
91
Similarly, end users are also subject to content controls such as those as laid out in
the rules of the National People ’ s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee on Safeguarding
Internet Security.
92 Violators of these rules can incur fi nes, content removal, and criminal liability. For example, on October 28, 2010, Twitter user Cheng Jianping was arrested
for disturbing social order and sent to a labor camp for retweeting a sarcastic comment
about the anti-Japanese protests in China, suggesting that the protesters attack the Japan
pavilion at the Shanghai Expo.
93 In January 2011, blogger Lin Chenglong was arrested
for spreading obscene material in his blog where he wrote about his experiences with
prostitutes and posted obscene photos.
94 In 2010, Zhao Lianhai, an activist for families
who suffered from the Chinese milk scandal and started the “ Home for Kidney Stone
Babies Web site ” ( http://jieshibaobao.com ), had his Web site blocked and shut down.
He was consequently charged with inciting social disorder and sentenced to two and a
half years ’ imprisonment.
95 Seventy-seven netizens were reported imprisoned in 2009.
96
In 2010, the Chinese government amended the 1988 Law on Guarding State Secrets
(State Secrets Law) to require all ICT companies operating within the country to
comply with measures to protect state secrets. “ State secrets ” are defi ned as matters of
national security interests in the realm of political, economic, defense, and foreign
281
programs are further prevented from presenting content that pertains to all but one
of the prohibitions listed under the 2005 provisions.
86 The Provision on Internet AV
Programming Services was strengthened on March 30, 2009, with the addition of 21
additional types of content that Internet audiovisual service providers were required
to edit or delete. These content categories range from sexually provocative or pornographic content; to content that promotes “ a negative or decadent outlook, world
view, or value system, or deliberate exaggeration of the ignorance and backwardness
of ethic groups or social ills ” ; to content that calls “ for religious extremism, provocation of confl ict between religions, religious sects, or between believers and nonbelievers, hurting the feelings of the public, ” among others.
87 Within these updated rules,
Internet AV program service providers are also mandated to “ improve their program
content administration systems by hiring well-qualifi ed service personnel to review
and fi lter content ” so that content does not violate existing and new rules.
88
With the explosion of an active blogosphere in China, the government implemented the Convention on Blog Service Discipline
89 in 2007, which was signed by
blog service providers including the People ’ s Daily Online, Sina, Sohu, Netease,
Tencent, TOM, MSN China, and Qianlon.
90 According to the convention, blog service
providers should “ abide by state laws, regulations and policies, safeguard the legitimate
blog users and the public interest. ” Blog providers must also have an end-user agreement with terms of service for the blogger to abstain from disseminating rumors or
false information and to delete postings considered bad or illegal. The blog provider
has to encourage real-name registration, supervise and manage content, and remove
illegal content or cease blog services.
91
Similarly, end users are also subject to content controls such as those as laid out in
the rules of the National People ’ s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee on Safeguarding
Internet Security.
92 Violators of these rules can incur fi nes, content removal, and criminal liability. For example, on October 28, 2010, Twitter user Cheng Jianping was arrested
for disturbing social order and sent to a labor camp for retweeting a sarcastic comment
about the anti-Japanese protests in China, suggesting that the protesters attack the Japan
pavilion at the Shanghai Expo.
93 In January 2011, blogger Lin Chenglong was arrested
for spreading obscene material in his blog where he wrote about his experiences with
prostitutes and posted obscene photos.
94 In 2010, Zhao Lianhai, an activist for families
who suffered from the Chinese milk scandal and started the “ Home for Kidney Stone
Babies Web site ” ( http://jieshibaobao.com ), had his Web site blocked and shut down.
He was consequently charged with inciting social disorder and sentenced to two and a
half years ’ imprisonment.
95 Seventy-seven netizens were reported imprisoned in 2009.
96
In 2010, the Chinese government amended the 1988 Law on Guarding State Secrets
(State Secrets Law) to require all ICT companies operating within the country to
comply with measures to protect state secrets. “ State secrets ” are defi ned as matters of
national security interests in the realm of political, economic, defense, and foreign