The Chinese government has decided to tighten online music control, further tensing up the already stiff Internet censorship the country has.
On its website, the Ministry of Culture said that from Jan. 1, companies offering online music are required to police content before making it available. In China, three of the leading e-commerce firms (Baidu, Alibaba and Tencent) have music streaming sites.
The move is part of the government's campaign to "cleanse" the Internet and culture itself, as the Communist Party regards them as something that might be a threat to the country's stability.
However, this still comes amid the experts hailing China's online censorship mechanism as one of the most sophisticated in the world.
Asked about the tightening up, the said e-commerce companies declined or are not available for immediate comment.
According to censorship experts and academicians, the self-policing order urges firms to be more conservative than necessary so that they may avoid punishment.
Despite this crackdown, analysts still see China as a booming significant market in the global music industry. For the recent period, the country has witnessed the growing popularity of music streaming. Additionally, professionals also claim that the growing middle class has exhibited more willingness to pay for high-quality services.
The government has also been adamant in its goal of eradicating the notion that China is plagued with music and entertainment piracy. It has issued new regulations and punishments for violators.
From April 1, the ministry has asked music streaming platforms to submit data about their content. Back in August, it has also banned 120 songs that are considered "morally harmful."