The main reason for the rampancy of pornographic websites is the drive of profits. While being interviewed Min Dahong, associate research fellow at the Institute of Journalism and Communication of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, stressed on cutting off the interest chain behind pornographic websites.

The main reason for the rampancy of pornographic websites is the drive of profits.

Reporter: What is the key link in effectively cracking down the spread of pornographic websites?

Min Dahong: The Internet has bred many problems with its fast development. The rampancy of pornographic websites is a conspicuous one. The government did not pay enough attention to Internet pornographic activities in the past in its management work, and failed to crack down resolutely at its budding stage. However, that being said the most important reason is because the telecommunications and financial departments, proceeding from the interest of huge profits they gained, more or less played the role of conniving with the spread. Cutting off the interest chain behind pornographic websites is a key link in the cracking down

Reporter: How many profiting modes are there for pornographic websites?

Min Dahong: Most of pornographic websites are set up for profits. They have complete charging mechanism. For example, websites offering pornographic video display and download services run on registration and member system. Only those who pay can watch. Payment means are various such as through postal remittance, online payment and bank card payment etc.

As the Internet and mobile phone are becoming interactive a more covert and more convenient means emerge. It is a means most common seen today, of getting registration passwords through mobile phones with fees being charged through the phone bill.

Reporter: Since profits are the main drive how high can the profits get that a website gains?

Min Dahong: I haven't conducted a precise survey. There is no across-the-board income for different websites. No one wants to do it without profits. Pornographic websites are like bamboo shoots after a spring rain. Generally they can all survive with good revenue. Even during the downturn of the Internet industry many pornographic websites reap in money in huge quantities. Varying according to the scale, the number of members and their consumption some websites have a rather considerable revenue.

Reporter: Pornographic websites, telecommunications operators and service provider, who offer the space, all can gain from it. Do you have any research case at your hand on their profitss?

Min Dahong: The profit proportion is not clear. However they are the gainers of common interests. They reach certain tacit agreement and divide them according to certain proportion. This is a secret which can only be beaten out by looking at the original accounts record.

The supervision of pornographic websites needs relevant laws and regulations and clear provisions for investigating joint liabilities.

Reporter: Some say the quantity of Internet pornographic information is horrendous making it hard to control. What should be the first question to be solved in controlling it?

Min Dahong: The quantity of pornographic websites' group-sent messages is considerable, and these can bring back huge profits. Of course there are difficulties. But first it is the question of guiding principles: whether we should control or not. If we truly realize the harm that pornographic information brings about on society and can look at things with consideration for future generations, in a word, if we want to control there is bound to be corresponding technology.

Reporter: The force with which the specifically directed campaign is being waged is rather strong. The campaign should have some effects.

Min Dahong: The interest chain behind pornographic websites reveals some mechanism problems. For this reason the specifically directed campaign is rather necessary. But the more important thing is to establish a long-standing mechanism. The legislation should be a deep-level and fundamental solution means. Until now China has had no laws and regulations that clearly prescribe for joint liabilities.

For example, the establishment of many pornographic websites needs to rent server space or broadband dedicated line or build cooperation with handset SP. The service providers in these links generally only offer the passage channels and turn a deaf ear to the very harmful contents. Since China does not have existing laws and regulations in this regard what resorts can the relevant departments turn to even if they know clearly the existence of the problematic operation? Nothing should rely solely on self-restraint. After all it should depend on the law.

Telecommunications departments is a big link in the interest chain.

Reporter: Telecommunications operators have generous profits. It is completely possible for them to refuse the profits from pornographic information. However, they pretend to be deaf and dumb and become the accomplice of pornographic websites in effect.

Min Dahong: Of course there are few people who actually don't know. The most important is for the involved departments to start acting themselves and seriously carry out the decisions of the central government, so that this specifically directed campaign can have a final success.

Reporter: In cracking down pornographic websites telecommunications department is the first to be affected. Without the support of telecommunications operators pornographic websites are without way out. Some people suspect that the official background of telecommunications departments would affect the cracking down force.

Min Dahong: Beside telecommunications departments and financial departments which provides payment channels for pornographic websites, there are also the various service providers, they all need to start examining themselves. This is the first huge and grand online anti-pornography campaign. The central government has made up its mind. Some departments have not looked at the question from a political perspective in the past, have not considered it with the healthy growth of young people in mind. They ignored the social effects. So they need to face up to the question now.

Reporter: websites should have their influence in mind and stress their social responsibilities. Catering to the netizens with unhealthy information is to sacrifice their brands and public credibility.

Website rating is still not practical

Reporter: The cracking down of pornographic websites is difficult. It is because they are fighting a guerilla war. As soon as you loosen up they reemerge a few days later.

Min Dahong: To make the Internet 100 percent clean is not quite possible. For pornographic websites if the control is tight they move their servers overseas. We should concentrate our efforts at controlling the trend of spreading and the entire society should involve itself voluntarily in the anti-pornography campaign.

Reporter: Pornographic websites are most harmful to the young. Overseas pornographic websites are open only to adults. Some people say adults have self-control with regard to pornographic information and China can also imitate other countries. Do you think this opinion is practicable?

Min Dahong: First, cracking down on pornographic websites is a common practice worldwide. Other countries pay more attention to legislation, with particular attention paid to the protection of minors. As for website ratings China doesn't even have TV and film ratings. The rating of website is even more difficult because any one can log in and it is very difficult to tell minors from adults.

The important thing is for netizens to report on websites with unhealthy information. Only the supervision by the numerous netizens can leave pornographic websites with nowhere to hide.

By People's Daily Online