China sets up agency to oversee web censorship

The Chinese government has tightened its control of the internet by creating a body to oversee the regulation of what its 500m connected citizens are allowed to see. The snappily-titled State Internet Information Office will take over responsibility for the internet from various other government agencies.
 
State media reported that the organisation had identified threats such as "online porn and vulgar content" which were "hampering the sound development" of the internet in the country. The government also responded angrily to criticism of the move. It claimed that attacks on its policy were designed to "tarnish the image of China".
 
Beijing already routinely blocks websites that it considers harmful, and exerts enormous control over the content it does allow through the 'great firewall of China'.
 
However, in-fighting has marred the relationship between the various government ministries that oversee the internet. The new body will bring responsibility for the technical and political control of the internet under one roof.
 
There are concerns that the development heralds a period of even tighter control than before as the Beijing regime tries to crack down on dissent after the wave of revolutions across the Arab world.
 
It could also have ramifications for Western companies hoping to establish themselves in the country. Although China has the largest number of internet users in the world, many well-known sites, like Facebook, are banned in the country and last year Google elected to close down its Chinese operation, citing government censorship.
 
In the absence of global competitors, state-approved social networking sites and search engines have prospered, although rumours have been circulating for months that Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg was looking for a way to access the Chinese market.
 
Late last year he was caught on camera talking to Robin Li, the head of China's biggest search engine, Baidu, prompting rumours about a tie-up. And earlier this year it was suggested that Facebook would even consider self-censorship to establish itself in China. ·