62 detained in China in social networking porn crackdown

Police in Beijing and Guangzhou have detained 62 suspects for using social networking services to organise prostitution or spread pornographic content, according to China's anti-pornography authorities.

Beijing police have busted four operations and captured 25 suspects for organising prostitution via microblogs and instant messaging services since a campaign against pornography began in August, according to a statement jointly released by the National Anti-pornography and Anti-illegal Publications Office and the Ministry of Public Security.

The other 37 suspects were detained in south China's Guangdong province for similar offences, Xinhua reported citing the statement.

The authorities did not offer further details.

With a "zero tolerance" attitude, police in various regions have been cracking down on porn providers on social networks as fast and early as possible to stop the spread of such materials, the statement said.