''The crackdown has so far led to the shutdown of 45 online games, which authorities said encouraged players to engage in illegal activities such as drug trafficking and prostitution, the Beijing News said.

"The General Administration of Press and Publication is to undergo a thorough clear-up relating to the approval and operating situation of online games by the end of the year," the report said.

A statement posted on the administration's website said the 45 online games that were shut down were run from abroad and had not received prior approval to operate in China.

So far, more than 200 online games had been investigated as part of the campaign, launched to coincide with communist China's 60th birthday on October 1, and some were given deadlines to change their ways, the notice said.''


Source : kotaku.com/5378792/china-cracks-down-on-online-gaming

             tech.yahoo.com/news/afp/20091009/tc_afp/chinainternetcomputercensorship


My thoughts on the subject : Not really a great idea. No human being can truly control another. If their trying to purify their Country by doing this, I think they are creating the opposite effect. Games can be a way to cool down and keep a calm mind by enjoying yourself in a fantasy world that is full of wonder, light and imagination.





 

But if the game is truly being use for illegal activities than they are doing a good. There's so many mmo out there, shutting down 45 wont hurt anything if players really looking to play mmo.

Laws in China is very tough, hope fully this will clean up tyhe whole market...

Good.  No more online virtual drug trafficking and prostitution, I applaud them.  Now, hopefully the citizens will engage in these activities IRL instead, it would be much more productive that way.

Gotta love living in a society were the govt has the right to tell you what you can and cant do with your leisure time!

Originally posted by NeverLand7

''The crackdown has so far led to the shutdown of 45 online games, which authorities said encouraged players to engage in illegal activities such as drug trafficking and prostitution, the Beijing News said.

"The General Administration of Press and Publication is to undergo a thorough clear-up relating to the approval and operating situation of online games by the end of the year," the report said.

A statement posted on the administration's website said the 45 online games that were shut down were run from abroad and had not received prior approval to operate in China.

So far, more than 200 online games had been investigated as part of the campaign, launched to coincide with communist China's 60th birthday on October 1, and some were given deadlines to change their ways, the notice said.''


Source : kotaku.com/5378792/china-cracks-down-on-online-gaming

             tech.yahoo.com/news/afp/20091009/tc_afp/chinainternetcomputercensorship


My thoughts on the subject : Not really a great idea. No human being can truly control another. If their trying to purify their Country by doing this, I think they are creating the opposite effect. Games can be a way to cool down and keep a calm mind by enjoying yourself in a fantasy world that is full of wonder, light and imagination.





 

op if china get 1% criminality this mean from 12 to 14 million criminal,for anybody in the world their ways seem arch but its needed they have a population of 1300 million people only india has as many citizen 

they rule an empire while other only rule countrys ,empire are very hard to keep in line

Originally posted by NeverLand7

''The crackdown has so far led to the shutdown of 45 online games, which authorities said encouraged players to engage in illegal activities such as drug trafficking and prostitution, the Beijing News said.

"The General Administration of Press and Publication is to undergo a thorough clear-up relating to the approval and operating situation of online games by the end of the year," the report said.

A statement posted on the administration's website said the 45 online games that were shut down were run from abroad and had not received prior approval to operate in China.

So far, more than 200 online games had been investigated as part of the campaign, launched to coincide with communist China's 60th birthday on October 1, and some were given deadlines to change their ways, the notice said.''




 

Read the underlined part again:P

Sounds like they are fishing for their cut is all.  Communist country, that can teach lessons to any Capitalist in the world:)

I cant help but laugh, the worlds largest population (for now) allows what may be viewed as subjugation by others to direct how its population is to live their lives. honestly id like to see these ignorant communist idiots prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that games promote supposed illegal activities. if they say that does it then they should ban all TV, any Radio and any other medium of communication as they all have been accused of " promoting illegal activities" as they put it one time or another. quite honestly, some governments have nearly zero intelligence. china is a steadfast example of ignorance.

Its not a good story if it doesnt list the 45 games.  Journalist do your job.
 

Originally posted by Pyrostasis

Gotta love living in a society were the govt has the right to tell you what you can and cant do with your leisure time!

I believe most societies tell you what you can and can't do with your leisure time. They're called laws.

Originally posted by Pyrostasis

Gotta love living in a society were the govt has the right to tell you what you can and cant do with your leisure time!

Right, not like those crazy countries where people have the freedom to use drugs and prostitution in their leisure time, without even needing video games to encourage it...

So does this mean I will have less spam messages of 'YOU BUY GOLD?!??'  Because otherwise I really don't care.

Originally posted by drbaltazar

Originally posted by NeverLand7

''The crackdown has so far led to the shutdown of 45 online games, which authorities said encouraged players to engage in illegal activities such as drug trafficking and prostitution, the Beijing News said.

"The General Administration of Press and Publication is to undergo a thorough clear-up relating to the approval and operating situation of online games by the end of the year," the report said.

A statement posted on the administration's website said the 45 online games that were shut down were run from abroad and had not received prior approval to operate in China.

So far, more than 200 online games had been investigated as part of the campaign, launched to coincide with communist China's 60th birthday on October 1, and some were given deadlines to change their ways, the notice said.''


Source : kotaku.com/5378792/china-cracks-down-on-online-gaming

             tech.yahoo.com/news/afp/20091009/tc_afp/chinainternetcomputercensorship


My thoughts on the subject : Not really a great idea. No human being can truly control another. If their trying to purify their Country by doing this, I think they are creating the opposite effect. Games can be a way to cool down and keep a calm mind by enjoying yourself in a fantasy world that is full of wonder, light and imagination.





 

op if china get 1% criminality this mean from 12 to 14 million criminal,for anybody in the world their ways seem arch but its needed they have a population of 1300 million people only india has as many citizen 

they rule an empire while other only rule countrys ,empire are very hard to keep in line

empire does not mean population lol.....

besides when u oppress people they rise up hence communist china...

Originally posted by NeverLand7

''The crackdown has so far led to the shutdown of 45 online games, which authorities said encouraged players to engage in illegal activities such as drug trafficking and prostitution, the Beijing News said.

 

Unfortunately all MMORPGs cause people to traffic in drugs and prostitute themselves. WoW is probably the biggest cause of drug trafficking and prostitution on the planet.

But WoW was effected by this, so this policy cant be legit.

As much as I see hate comments like "WoW is for Babies and Kids"

Do you really think WoW would teach kids over there to use Drugs?

Also Whats this mess about WoW having to Cover ou the Bones, and Changing the Icons on Warlock Spells?

That is a example of Pointless issues in this policy

Originally posted by tro44_1

But WoW was effected by this, so this policy cant be legit.

As much as I see hate comments like "WoW is for Babies and Kids"

Do you really think WoW would teach kids over there to use Drugs?

 

Also Whats this mess about WoW having to Cover ou the Bones, and Changing the Icons on Warlock Spells?

That is a example of Pointless issues in this policy

Yeah . Somehow covering up the bones in World of Warcraft is going to solve all of China's issues according to the Goverment.

Probably will just create more rebels.

 

Originally posted by dhayes68

Originally posted by Pyrostasis

Gotta love living in a society were the govt has the right to tell you what you can and cant do with your leisure time!

 

I believe most societies tell you what you can and can't do with your leisure time. They're called laws.

Srsly, man. I got put in MOTHERF*CKING jail for slashing up some hos. What da f*ck is dis shit?

@ Dr.Baltazar; The 2nd most populous country in the world, India, does somewhat manage as a democracy. Empire is a word that should be loathed by people who cherish freedom.

@Everyone; History shows its impossible to impose a comunist regime without curtailing individual freedoms. China gets away with oppressing its own people without so much as a peep from the rest of the world and MMOs are just a small part of that. Secular societies rely on government staying clear of morality issues to function, neither personal drug use nor prostitution are issues civil societies should concern themselves with and i for one im glad to live in a country where neither is criminalized. Blaming videogames for promoting "antisocial" behaviour is a cope out of failed and ignorant people.

Edit; name correction

Originally posted by Caleveira

@ Neverland7; The 2nd most populous country in the world, India, does somewhat manage as a democracy. Empire is a word that should be loathed by people who cherish freedom.

I think you mean Dr.Baltazar. I wasn't the one who said that :P

Originally posted by NeverLand7

Originally posted by Caleveira

@ Neverland7; The 2nd most populous country in the world, India, does somewhat manage as a democracy. Empire is a word that should be loathed by people who cherish freedom.

 

I think you mean Dr.Baltazar. I wasn't the one who said that :P

Youre right, ive corrected that. My apologies.

Stay on target people... you all know the result of armchair politics.

I would say this has more to do with the ability of chinese gamers to be influenced by individuals outside of Chinese control than any sort of illegal drugs or prostitution in much the same way as China tried to limit their citizen's access to the iternet during the Olympics. 

They know what they are doing.

The game's addiction side effects are very unknown and underrated.

In chinese scale, you could call MMORPGs as an epidemy, a cancer, spreading over millions of young and yet unproductive citizens.

If you consider all the other communist policies they had to solve a miriad of other situations, this one is icing on the cake.

China is showing us a glimpse of the future.

They are perfect examples of case studies, you have millions of testing subjects, giving undeniable evidences for everything...

Originally posted by Interesting

They know what they are doing.

 

The game's addiction side effects are very unknown and underrated.

 

In chinese scale, you could call MMORPGs as an epidemy, a cancer, spreading over millions of young and yet unproductive citizens.

 

If you consider all the other communist policies they had to solve a miriad of other situations, this one is icing on the cake.

 

China is showing us a glimpse of the future.

They are perfect examples of case studies, you have millions of testing subjects, giving undeniable evidences for everything...

True...

Sometimes I think about my old EQ toons, and how the highest one had around 60 days worth of gametime play, and a bunch of others in the 30's... span that over oh... 10 or so MMO's over the past 12 years, and I can't help but wonder "Wow, I could have spent that time applying myself to finally learn Japanese, focus more on Flash and Adobe Illustrator/Photoshop, learn carpentry or automotive mechanics."

Biggest thing I've always regretted about MMO's was I could never take anything with me after I "leave" the game.

Wow... I think I'm gonna go eat a big tub if ice cream now... XD

Originally posted by Interesting

They know what they are doing.

 

The game's addiction side effects are very unknown and underrated.

 

In chinese scale, you could call MMORPGs as an epidemy, a cancer, spreading over millions of young and yet unproductive citizens.

 

If you consider all the other communist policies they had to solve a miriad of other situations, this one is icing on the cake.

 

China is showing us a glimpse of the future.

They are perfect examples of case studies, you have millions of testing subjects, giving undeniable evidences for everything...

No, they dont have a clue what theyre doing. Even if you consider MMOs as a vice or addiction you cannot enforce prohibition upon adults. The war on drugs policy is a perfect example of the degree of death and corruption that comes along with trying to solve a problem by burying your head in the sand and (much worse) trying to force others to do so. If MMOs have become a problem for Chinas youth it is only because they sorely lack oportunity in many other areas of activity. To me this games are not an escape but a chance for fun, challenge and relaxation. It becomes an issue of personal responsability to properly manage leisure amongst mature self sufficient adults.

This view that the individual must be protected from itself is a dangerous and harmful one.

Originally posted by Lansid

Originally posted by Interesting

They know what they are doing.

 

The game's addiction side effects are very unknown and underrated.

 

In chinese scale, you could call MMORPGs as an epidemy, a cancer, spreading over millions of young and yet unproductive citizens.

 

If you consider all the other communist policies they had to solve a miriad of other situations, this one is icing on the cake.

 

China is showing us a glimpse of the future.

They are perfect examples of case studies, you have millions of testing subjects, giving undeniable evidences for everything...

True...

Sometimes I think about my old EQ toons, and how the highest one had around 60 days worth of gametime play, and a bunch of others in the 30's... span that over oh... 10 or so MMO's over the past 12 years, and I can't help but wonder "Wow, I could have spent that time applying myself to finally learn Japanese, focus more on Flash and Adobe Illustrator/Photoshop, learn carpentry or automotive mechanics."

Biggest thing I've always regretted about MMO's was I could never take anything with me after I "leave" the game.

Wow... I think I'm gonna go eat a big tub if ice cream now... XD

Thats a lame excuse. people that spend their time Working out or playing Sports, could also say the same thing