website as the “hormonal social network” and “Ground Zero for the sex trade.”112
From April to November 2014, the national “Campaign Against Pornography” Working
Group Office, the State Internet Information Office, Ministry of Industry and Information
Technology and Ministry of Public Security launched a nation-wide campaign against
obscene and pornographic content on the internet.113 China’s seven national mobile
communications companies responded enthusiastically and set up clean-up and
reorganization work.114 By the end of June 2014, the Chinese government had shut
down 1,222 pornographic websites across the country, and more than 20 million
accounts used in sex work and other such activities had been closed down through a
management campaign geared toward mobile communication tools.115
These campaigns have had a direct effect on sex
workers. Xiao Wang said the cell phone app he
“By the end of June 2014,
normally used was reported to the authorities.116
the Chinese government
Minbao had also given up using a cell phone,
had shut down 1,222
because, “The minute you say anything even
pornographic websites
slightly sensitive, they close down your account.”117
across the country, and
Xiao Dongbei says, “It’s getting harder all the time
more than 20 million
to do business. The internet isn’t convenient, and
accounts used in sex work
our business has been affected by the authorities,
and other such activities
so it’s hard to make money.”118
had been closed down
through a management
Beijing’s anti-vice campaign has made sex workers
campaign geared toward
particularly cautious, with the result that they would
mobile communication
rather have clients come to their homes than go Ѽ()ѽ