China's top cyberspace watchdog has ordered some 26 online audio platforms to shut down or rectify their services for spreading content on pornography, historical nihilism and superstition. Photo: IC

Shanghai's cyberspace watchdog has received 1,351 clues of illegal and harmful messages from 349 voluntary cyber monitors since the city kicked off the program to create better cyberspace environment. 

The team included people of different ages and social sectors, who registered earlier this month, Shanghai-based news portal thepaper.cn reported. 

Huang Chengqing, deputy council director of the Beijing-based Internet Society of China, told the Global Times on Saturday that volunteers first reported suspicious online information to the relevant government department, which will verify the information and decide how to address the case.

The move is targeted at pornographic and other illegal information, such as gambling and fraud, and will make it easier for the local government to address cases involving Shanghai companies and residents, Huang said.

It is part of a local campaign themed "Shanghai in action to be good netizens" that began on September 10 that taught voluntary cyber monitors how to identify illegal and harmful information.

Chen Yu, a volunteer monitor and parent of two teenagers, told media that some violent or pornographic content on the internet could have a negative impact on the youth, and that she hopes to contribute to cyberspace regulation. 

Chen said she paid more attention to information suspected of being false or illegal.

The Global Times reporter found that Beijing had launched a similar program as early as 2010.  Huang also cited other countries, such as the UK and Germany, saying they adopted similar report mechanisms against child pornography and hate speech. 

Huang noted that it's far from enough to rely solely on the government to regulate the mass of information on the internet. Volunteers complement government efforts. 

Qu Canfeng, a retired grass-roots official, kept the habit of reporting harmful information through different platforms. She launched an online chat group to encourage more people to become volunteer cyber monitors. 

The fight against harmful online information is a protracted effort. The monitors should maintain a communication mechanism with relevant government departments to make the work effective, thepaper.cn quoted a local official as saying.