Beijing threatens to jail mobile phone users who send porn

Beijing police are threatening jail and fines for people who transmit pornography via cell phones after merchants were caught selling blue movies on phone memory chips, a report said Wednesday.

Photo: Beijing threatens to jail mobile phone users who send porn

Sending pornographic video, photos or messages via mobile phone can land the user in detention for two weeks or result in a fine of up to 3,000 yuan (US$400; EUR300), the official Xinhua News Agency said.

Merchants who sell such content can face up to three years in jail, it said.

Police made the announcement after arresting 19 cell phone dealers who were selling memory chips with recording of pornographic material, the report said. It gave no details of the content, but said each chip could hold a 60-minute film.

China has the world's biggest population of mobile phone users with 461 million phones, and the country has a thriving market for games and other added services.

China bans sexually explicit material and has sentenced vendors to prison terms of up to 15 years. But erotic videos and photos are widely available.