China Internet Illegal Information Reporting Center

The Chinese government's criticism of Google's China service, google.cn, is helping its Chinese rival grow stronger.

Baidu, the number-one search engine in China, now may have an even bigger competitive lead thanks to the China Internet Illegal Information Reporting Center. CIIIRC, a Chinese watchdog group, last week accused Google of allowing pornography and other vulgar content to be viewed in China.

As part of its ongoing crackdown on Web activity, the Chinese government is demanding that Google's Chinese operation (google.cn) block the access of Chinese citizens to overseas content that is "pornographic and vulgar."

The China Internet Illegal Information Reporting Center, an Internet watchdog run by Chinese authorities, harshly criticized Google in the state press, saying it allows "foreign Internet pornographic information." Similar charges were broadcast on a state-run television station.

China is defending its directive forcing manufacturers to include blocking software in all personal computers sold there by July 1. The order from China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology is to filter out unhealthy content, including pornography and violence, according to ministry spokesperson Qin Gang.

Personal computers sold in China will have to include blocking software, beginning July 1. The directive from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology in Beijing has gone to manufacturers, but hasn't been made public.

The directive aims to block users from specific sites and content, including pornography, according to Jinhui Computer Systems Engineering, the software maker. But foreign industry officials who viewed the software told The Wall Street Journal the move will give the Chinese government even more control over what users are viewing on the Internet.

Personal computers sold in China will have to include blocking software, beginning July 1. The directive from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology in Beijing has gone to manufacturers, but hasn't been made public.

The directive aims to block users from specific sites and content, including pornography, according to Jinhui Computer Systems Engineering, the software maker. But foreign industry officials who viewed the software told The Wall Street Journal the move will give the Chinese government even more control over what users are viewing on the Internet.

China expanded an Internet cleanup campaign Friday, shutting down an edgy blog hosting site for apparently carrying "harmful comments" and naming more than a dozen sites containing pornography or other vulgar content.

The latest government Internet sweep began with a well-publicized crackdown on pornography, which is banned in China, but was widened to include a blog hosting site popular with activists, http://www.bullog.cn.

The site was shut down Friday afternoon, founder Luo Yonghao told The Associated Press.