China today announced an online ban on 120 songs it termed immoral, obscene and violent, as it warned of severe punishment for those who fail to comply with the order.
The Ministry of Culture released a list of 120 blacklisted songs that "trumpeted obscenity, violence, crime or harmed social morality", sate-run Xinhua news agency reported.
The banned songs, including titles 'Beijing Hooligans, 'Don't Want to Go to School' and 'Suicide Diary', were described as "having severely problematic content," according to a statement by the ministry.
It said the songs violated an online cultural management regulation. Songs by household names such as Chang Csun Yuk and Stanley Huang were also on the list.
"No unit or individual is allowed to provide [these songs]," the Ministry said and warned of severe punishment to those who failed to comply with the take-down notice.
The list will serve as a reference for online administrators to ensure their content is legal, said Liu Qiang, a ministry official in-charge of the cultural market.
Liu said the list will be regularly updated.
