China cracks down on Internet cafes

Author: Joe Martin
Published: 18th February 2008

China will use Operation for Tomorrow to crack down on juvenile activity and Internet cafes.

As part of an initiative to crack down on juvenile crime the Chinese government has launched 'Operation for Tomorrow' which aims to crack down on 'black web bars' and Internet cafes which make MMOs available to children.

According to a report from the Official Xinhua News Agency, the program will target unregistered playing platforms and downloadable services especially.

The plan is to "use the law to attack, investigate and prosecute ... to cleanse the environment in which young people are raised and prevent and reduce juvenile crime and illegal activity," the report said.

The report also mentions that the operation will target vagrant children in particular, including those who've been left behind by parents who have migrated to find work.

The Chinese government believes that Internet cafes and black web bars (those which operate without a license) have been promoting and encouraging juvenile activity for years through MMO games and pornography by offering children a chance to make money through them.

China already monitors the internet closely for anti-government messages and news reports which it does not agree with, but the report makes no mention of such content nor of attempts to tackle it.

Is China on the right path or is this a pointless attempt to tackle a symptom and not the disease? Let us know your thoughts in the forums.