China has shut down more than 2,500 pornography and illegal websites since it started its anti-pornography campaign last April, the National Office Against Pornographic and Illegal Publications said on Thursday.

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The office took down over 3.27 million "harmful" contents and closed over 2,500 pornography websites across 862 cases discovered during the campaign, Reuters reported.

China's anti-pornography campaign is a collaboration among different departments including the Ministry of Public Safety (MPS), the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), and the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), according to the Business Standards.

The MPS has blocked more than 9 million illegal messages and the MIIT removed 73 app stores with obscene contents. The CAC has also closed over 310,000 illegal social media accounts, 400,000 QQ instant messaging groups, 121 interview websites, and 462 overseas pornographic websites.

Furthermore, the national anti-porn office under the Ministry of Culture (MOC) also probed some 26 live streaming platforms to get rid of pornograpy and violent videos or photos, the ECNS noted.  An estimated 4,313 video streaming channels have been closed, while 1,502 performers were removed.

In addition, the MOC and the Ministry of Public Security also cracked down 51 cases of online vulgarity and punished more than half a million illegal portals and blocked 9 million obscene links.

The Chinese government has been tightening its belt on its cyberspace in recent months, particularly implementing new policies on the country's grown live-streaming industry and cloud storage services. The initiative comes as China aims to "purify" its Internet and safeguard the youth.

TagsChina anti-pornography campaign, China illegal websites, China Internet Censorship, China shut down internet