China launches fresh crackdown on ‘harmful’ online info

China’s cybercops have launched a new crackdown on ‘negative and harmful’ information that will inspect all corners of the internet for traces of illegal gambling and other official no-nos.

On Thursday, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) announced the commencement of a new six-month fight against ‘harmful information’ that the authorities in Beijing don’t want Chinese citizens to stumble across online.

The CAC’s definition of ‘harmful’ online content includes anything involving gambling, pornography, fraud, violence, threats, abuse, rumors and superstition. The CAC intends to “vigorously” monitor compliance by websites, mobile apps, forums, instant messaging services, live-streaming platforms and (presumably) schoolchildren passing paper notes to each other during classes.

The CAC said it expects all internet operators to “fulfill their responsibilities” during this campaign, while warning that “anyone who allows illegal behavior to go free will not be tolerated but be severely punished.”