Seven Chinese search engine service providers have jointly signed a self-discipline compact in Beijing.
The seven search engine providers are Sina, Sohu, Netease, Baidu, Zhongsou, China Yahoo, and Qihoo.
The parties have agreed not to spread, publish or provide links to websites or web pages that contain vulgar or pornographic content, not to provide related network service for websites or web pages offering illegal information, and to take effective measures to prevent the transmission of illegal and undesirable information via technical means.
Recently, China's CCTV television network has carried a number of reports on websites and mobile-phone service providers spreading pornographic information. On December 8, 2009, nine Chinese departments including the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the Ministry of Public Security jointly held a telephone and video conference on which they planned a nation wide campaign against vulgar content spread via internet and mobile phones. They said the campaign would last from December 2009 to May 2010.
