China's cyberspace watchdog has shut down nearly 3,000 websites and more than 200,000 accounts in the second quarter of the year for illegally providing news services or spreading pornographic or gambling content.

The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) published a work report on its website on Monday, saying 2,899 unlawful websites were closed in the second quarter. For example, some websites were closed for publishing news without approval, counterfeiting and internet fraud. Others were closed for spreading pornographic and gambling content.

Amid the university enrollment season after the annual college entrance examination in June, some websites claimed to provide school enrollment services by promising that they can help students get into better universities. 

The cyberspace watchdog also warned 636 website managers, and 56 websites were ordered to suspend updates. More than 200,000 illegal accounts, some of which engaged in financial fraud, were also ordered to shut down.

The CAC continues to intensify administrative law enforcement to ensure cyber security, and has continued its crackdown in the second quarter.

The administration ordered 26 online audio platforms, including dating app Soul, to close or rectify their services for spreading pornography, historical nihilism and superstition in June.

Several online literature websites, including Jinjiang Literature City, an influential website in China, were ordered to stop updating and to clear obscene content in July.

Global Times