Webnovel.Forum

Well my quarterly subscription was supposed to renew in a few days, so I cancelled subscription in app store. There is a question why did you cancel, and I said because I can't read on a pc anymore. So that is 29.99 they just lost.

ThirtyTyrants

I found a similar story on vox from May about the blockage of Archive of Our Own. Vox is considered left-wing by most people. I think it is ironic that someone with tyrant in their name is defending China from allegations of censorship.

China has censored the Archive of Our Own, one of the internet’s largest fanfiction websites
China has taken the beloved Hugo-winning site offline amid stringent new internet laws.

By Aja Romano Mar 1, 2020, 11:55am EST
Chinese censors have been preparing for new, tighter restrictions on the type of content considered acceptable to post online

In January, the Chinese government announced that beginning March 1, it would be enacting new regulations against content on Chinese websites. The new rules include restrictions on “negative” content. This is likely part of China’s ongoing effort to curtail internet discussion about the months-long Hong Kong protests (which call for a return to the region’s former democratic government) and many other aspects of its restrictive government. The regulations also aim to hold specific websites accountable for the content posted on them.

According to Variety, the new laws place the onus on individual websites to ensure that the content posted on them is primarily positive, uplifting, and devoid of misinformation. A nebulous list of unacceptable content includes content that “harms the nation’s honor and interests,” and any type of “sexual innuendo ... sex, gore or horror,” and anything that could potentially “violate social mores.”

I was shocked (not really) to see an article about Chinese Webnovels being regulated. I realized that this will directly impact the quality and type of books we can read in the future. One interesting thing is the ranking lists have to be adjusted to what the government desires. This can be found at theepochtimes dot com

China Issues New Restrictions on Online Literature, Censors Subjects It Disapproves Of-
China has launched new rules to tighten its grip on the internet literature industry, which has flourished during the pandemic.

China’s General Administration of Press and Publication recently issued new rules to require writers to publish content using their real names, and for online publishing platforms to control the proportion of martial arts stories, romantic novels, webtoons, and other subjects based on authorities’ preferences. This would mean subjects deemed favorable to the regime would have more content, while literature with content that authorities disapprove of would be censored.

Publishing platforms would also manipulate their ranking lists according to the authorities’ wishes, and monitor comments and users’ interactions.

The General Administration mandated that all works be “politically correct, and in a healthy and positive tone.” The agency regulates and distributes news, print, and internet publications in China. It also grants publication licenses for newspapers, books, and so on.