China Limits Internet Bars to Protect Children

(Beijing, China) That's right, it's for the children that China will not issue any more licenses for Internet bars in 2007. And this is only March. The authorities claim that the Internet is corrupting the children and creating delinquents.

China will not approve the opening of new internet bars in 2007, according to a directive issued by 14 government departments including the Ministry of Culture, the State Administration for Industry and Commerce and the Ministry of Information Industry.

"In 2007, local governments must not sanction the opening of new internet bars. The construction of bars that have received planning approval prior to the issuance of this notice must be completed by June 30, 2007," the notice said.

Internet addiction has been identified as an illness which the ChiCom government aims to cure. Of course, only dedicated communists buy in to the line of hooey that comes out of Beijing. Everyone knows that the real goal is to throttle communication.

Personally, I think it's too late. The Chinese have had a taste of the World Wide Web and they like it. The authorities can do a lot but they can't unring a bell.