According to China's news agency, Xinhua, banks in China are on the lookout for ties to suspected pornographic Web sites appearing in standard online transactions. Daily business transactions will be closely monitored for suspicious domain names and unusual bank card numbers, or questionable activity, with accounts of concern flagged for investigation.
"Some pornographic web sites have used the banks' online transaction service as a means to charge clients, negatively influencing their reputations and business," said the China Banking Regulatory Commission (CBRC), adding that "Once a Web site is found to be involved in pornographic business, banks should immediately cut off its capital."
Banks such as The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and The China Construction Bank have been hard at work checking hundreds of affiliated Web sites in order to verify their online business credentials, designating liaison personnel to monitor and report on suspicious activities, and ensuring that the banks do not participate in "indecent activities."
With the current online porn crackdown resulting in the closure of over 700 adult Web sites and more than 300 arrests, China's communist leaders have once again demonstrated their intolerance for free speech and the open exchange of ideas and information.