China to clean up "bad culture" on internet in New Year

Beijing: China is coming down hard on the internet during the Lunar New Year. The government has launched a clean-up campaign to remove "bad culture" by taking down "vulgar and unhealthy" content.

The month-long campaign will be targeting content from former criminals posting about their jail experience as well as scantily clad women posing in various locations, reported South China Morning Post. The goal is to "curtail the spread of bad culture, protect the rights and benefits of online users, clean up the online ecology, and create a positive, civilised and healthy climate in public opinion."

Authorities have accused ex-convicts of "misleading" the public and female social media influencers of wearing "revealing" clothes to gain followers. Cybersecurity officials said the women are creating an "indecent image" by appearing "sexy" in hotels, scenic spots, and farmlands. People who flaunt their wealth, overeat, and drink excess are also in trouble.

Internet censors will be scanning the homepages of key websites, trending topic search lists, recommendations, and user comment sections to control the spread of information during the holiday season.

This is not the first time Beijing is launching "purification" exercises. Last year's efforts targeted over one billion internet users and caused the fall of several celebrities in the entertainment sector.

A few days ago, Chinese cyber authorities also announced a censorship crackdown to ensure "gloomy sentiments caused by pandemic rumours" are not around during the lunar new year festival. The month-long "Spring Festival online improvement" is targeting people who are spreading what authorities consider to be "rumours about covid patient experiences." The crackdown is to prevent people from fabricating stories, misleading the public, and causing social panic.