Chinese authorities have announced intentions to turn their hard-line internet censorship attention toward online gambling.
Their dictatorial style attempts to filter the internet and control how it is served to its billion or so residents has come to be known as the Great Firewall of China, and now it is about to come down heavily against online gambling.
According to report in Reuters, China's Ministry of Public Security with co-operation from the Supreme Court, Propaganda bureau, the Central Bank and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, will conduct a crackdown between February and August this year on internet gambling sites targeting mainland Chinese players. A statement from the Ministry says that they will target local criminal elements as well as overseas conglomerates and will severely punish payment facilitators as well.
And if you think for a minute that these are just idle threats, just ask Google, YouTube, or numerous social networking sites what happens if you don't comply with their wishes. Just recently Google decided to take a stand and remove search filters that Chinese officials imposed on their Chinese search engine. Google is now banned in China.
Youtube had the plug pulled on it back in March 2009 when they refused to remove a video documenting the injuries and eventual death of a Tibetan protestor. Many social networking sites, that have become popular bulletin boards for political dissidents are also banned.
The clear message - the internet in China will only be the internet the Government wants it to be.
Interesting time ahead for Chinese facing gambling operators.
(image courtesy http://lewebpedagogique.com/englishblog83/tag/information/)
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