China has ordered telcos to purge spam SMSes of smut and other “unhealthy” influences, including “superstitious content” like fortune telling. The Ministry of Information Industry made the pronouncement today on its website which declared: “Recently, there has been a lot of dirt hidden in the telecommunication networks. The situation is serious.”
The latest threat to the stability of Chinese society are mass spam texts punted to the country’s 350 million mobile users. The powers that be reckon they regularly contain pornographic content or sex chat which has “polluted society and spread very bad influence”.
According to Beijing News, the ministry will monitor operators’ activities in October and fine transgressors.