Beijing to Set up Moms Surveillance Team on Porno Websites

Beijing Association of Online Media (BAOM) has recently started recruiting public responsible mothers to supervise and report websites with illegal and unhealthy contents.

The move is seen as a new way to crack down on pornographic websites on mobile phones and internet from a mothers' unique perspective.

CRI reporter Chen Xi has the details:

Reporter:

It's not new of the government to crack down on pornographic websites, but forming a group of mothers to keep an eye on the illegal websites sounds fresh to us.

It feels short of the force we need to eradicate all porno websites by relying solely on the government. Min Dahong, chairman of Beijing Association of Online Media says it's advisable to borrow people's eyes to watch the wrong doings.

"Our first step is to provide those responsible mothers with a special reporting hotline for them to call us on sight of any illegal websites. Next we will focus on detailed operation mechanism of the surveillance work. We will invite mothers to panel discussions to solicit their input."

The application for positions in the surveillance team has yet to start when it has already received warm welcome by many mothers, who have clearly voiced their willingness to join the team.

"I think it's a good idea, I'll be in for sure. I would like to help more young people including my own child with my concrete action. We should clean up the internet for them."

Another mother is also supportive of the idea:

"I'll do my utmost to help the young people."

Similar surveillance groups can be found in other countries too, which help pool public opinions for government references in their decision making.

Though the smart step highly demonstrates people's intention to apply public surveillance mechanisms, and secures the healthy environment of internet and mobile phones, some people question how the mechanism works, and who will be involved. Some others are curious about whether the mothers can help formulate a widely accepted standard in identifying unhealthy contents for young people.

Established on October 26, 2004, Beijing Association of Online Media is an organization jointly founded by news agencies and non-news agencies, as well as educational institutes and individuals in Beijing.

Chen Xi, CRI News.