China steps up communications clampdown

China has enacted a new censorship policy for mobile phone users

Mobile phone users in China will be prevented from sending text messages if they have sent what the authorities deem to be "illegal or unhealthy" content.

A report in the government controlled China Daily newspaper claims that mobile users in Beijing and Shanghai will initially be affected by the clampdown.

Local operator China Mobile will automatically cut off users if they send large amounts of 'illegal' information that contains key words provided by the police, or if other users complain about their text message content, the report said.

Rival operators China Telecom and China Unicom will also be obliged to take action, the report added.

The news follows Google's threat last week to pull out of China if it has to continue censoring search results on the internet.

China has a strict internet censorship programme using filtering technology known informally as The Great Firewall of China, which blocks web sites offering content that the government does not want its citizens to see.

Government officials also monitor citizens' emails and web communities to track 'illegal' content.