It"s renowned for having one of the most restrictive regimes in the world. Now China has launched another clampdown on internet usage. In three months last year, almost 13,000 internet cafes were shut down across the country.
In all, the authorities closed 12,575 cafes between October and December for operating illegally, according to the official Xinhua news agency. AP reports the crackdown was aimed at creating "safer environment for young people in China". It said the businesses closed were mostly located near primary or middle schools.
China has the second-largest population of net users in the world, behind the US, with 87 million people online. However, they face many restrictions on their usage. While business and education use is encouraged, the government is less keen on the effect on public morality of giving children access to violent games or sexual material. It controls what the public can see, blocking access to many sites. Many Western news sites have been blocked, with search engines which provided links to information also banned at some times in the country.