http://www.danwei.org/media_regulation/self-censoring_the_used_book_m.php
MEDIA REGULATION
Self-censoring the used book market
Posted by Joel Martinsen, August 12, 2010 5:49 PM
"Kongfz.com
http://www.kongfz.com
"Kongfz.com is a website devoted to the used book trade. Founded in 2002, it provides a convenient platform for book buyers to search for titles among hundreds of listed vendors who sell everything from latest releases to ancient texts to photocopied reprints, as well as other ink-and-paper material such as newspapers, magazines, letters, and calligraphy. The website includes an auction house and a marketplace, and offers simple blogging and forum tools to members.
"Last week, the website released a notice that reminded sellers of its policy on contraband material and announced an upcoming purge of contraband titles. The timing of the message, which alludes to problems with the authorities, connects it to the current campaign against vulgarity in the cultural sector. (((Good thing the vulgarity hasn't been purged from certain other continental superpowers, or there wouldn't be any cultural sector left.)))
"An Announcement Concerning the Strict Prohibition of Contraband Books and the Self-Examination of Booksellers (((Gets the popcorn, puts it down, picks up a stuffed steamed bun and examines it dubiously)))
"This website has always attached great importance to removing contraband books and other materials and has devoted substantial resources and manpower to this task. ((("I hope you're listening, Mr Commissar, sir."))) However, recent problems have resulted in strict investigation and punishment by state agencies.
"In particular, some sellers remain unaware of the serious nature of the problems and have used various means of uploading contraband books. These violations of the country's criminal law have caused enormous problems for the website and have the potential to bring personal catastrophe to these individuals.
"To protect the interests of the vast majority of buyers and sellers, and to further cooperate with the work of state agencies, this website will resolutely ban the uploading of contraband books. To this end, the website will work on a number of fronts, the first being to request that sellers perform a self-inspection of their titles. ((("Too lazy to vet our own market, we shrug the effort off to the end-user."))) Specifics follow:
I. The present examination will focus especially on two types of content:
Secrets: (((Julian Assange, you're wanted on line one)))
1. Post-liberation printed books, documents, and other materials with “top secret” “secret” and “confidential” lettering on the front or back cover or inside pages. (((There must be vast stacks of those, so I wonder what happens when they're old and crumbling.)))
2. All post-liberation printed unofficial publications and other public material concerning military affairs and public security, including military materials and internal teaching materials from the operations, intelligence, and military training departments as well as the military academies of all branches and area commands. (((Well, at least we're learning what people in China like to read.)))
3. Post-liberation printed books and materials for internal circulation concerning military affairs and public security, including those with “For Internal Circulation” lettering on the front or back cover or inside pages.
4. Other books and materials deemed confidential by the state. (((So far so good, and...)))
Banned politics:
1. All post-Cultural Revolution unofficial printed publications and other materials that involve attacks on the party and state leaders of the People’s Republic of China and the present government, as well as publications and materials banned from circulation by the state following proper publication. (((One wonders where this stuff comes from and who is printing it. How did that material come into existence in the first place?)))
2. Publications and materials from China’s Hong Kong and Taiwan or other countries and regions that slanders the party and state leaders of the People’s Republic of China. (((Maybe that's it, then.)))
3. Publications and materials that incite ethnic hatred and ethnic discrimination, undermine national unity, and infringe upon ethnic customs. (((One wonders who in China is in the infringing-on-ethnic-customs business.)))
II. Four Additional Types of Banned Content (((of course)))
Illegal religion and superstition
1. Post-liberation publications and materials that promote religion and superstition banned by the government, such as Fаlun Gοng material. (((They probably shoulda been number one)))
2. Qi Gong books banned by the state, such as the manuals of Chan Mi Gong, Bodhi Gong (Di Yuming), Kunlun Goddess Yoga, Zhong Gong (Zhang Hongbao, Hongbao), Internal Force One-Finger Zen (Zhang Xiangyu), Zhang Xiaoping, and Luo Kunsheng. (((Now you know what to go looking for, in case you never realized how rare and valuable a secret kung-fu tome like "Internal Force One-Finger Zen" could be. And ladies, that "Kunlun Goddess Yoga" is gonna be your Red Necronomicon.)))
Sex, gambling, and violent crime
1. Post-revolutionary unofficial publications and materials that involve sex, gambling, and the glorification of violent crime.
2. Pornographic publications banned by the state.
3. Publications promoting gambling that are banned by the state.
4. Publications that abet crimes or promote violent crime that are banned by the state.
Bootlegs and copyright violations (((Okay, who are you people, and what did you do with the actual China)))
Redistribution by copying, ripping, making backups, photocopying, or bootlegging a work without the consent or authorization of the rights-holder. Pirated publications typically includes copied works, scanned documents, electronic editions, pirated books, pirated software, pirated A/V works, and pirated online intellectual property. (((Collective moan of disappointed pain from 97% of the userbase)))
Other contraband categories
1. Any form of government document, certificate, or bill prohibited from sale by the state.
2. Counterfeit or altered goods, such as counterfeit IDs, bills, coins, licenses, and permits. (((Awesome to realize that a used-books site could run a handy sideline in counterfeited licenses and permits. How come those aren't all over Amazon?)))
3. Books, documents, and materials prohibited by law. (((Yeah, sure, whatever.)))
4. All illegally-obtained goods, such as those obtained through smuggling, theft, or robbery. ((("I don't have any used books to sell, but I have, uhm, a bunch of car radios and some Korean methamphetamine")))
5. Cultural relics and documents whose trade is prohibited by the Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Preservation of Cultural Relics. ((("Get your hot jade Tang Dynasty antiques right here")))
6. Those which insult or libel others, or infringe on others’ rights.
7. Those which harm national security or damage the reputation and interests of the state.
8. Those which harm social mores or outstanding ethnic cultural traditions.
9. Apart from those listed above, all books and materials banned by the laws and regulations of the People’s Republic of China. (((This list is getting downright Borgesian.)))
10. Publications and materials which Kongfz deems inappropriate for publication on the website.
III. Seller Self-Inspection (through 3 September):
IV. Overall Website Inspection:
[omitted]
V. Punishment Format and Rules:
[punishments depend on the number of contraband books and the seller’s track record, and vary from a warning to suspensions of one week to three months, to closure]
4. Rules for punishing malicious uploads of contraband books (((Now we're getting to the good stuff – taking the flyswatter to pirated scanned texts.)))
a) Sellers whom the website believes to be uploading maliciously may receive a one-week suspension as punishment. Once they have rectified themselves and re-opened, if they continue to maliciously upload contraband books, the website will impose a three-month suspension or will shut them down permanently.
During the suspension, the seller must perform a self-inspection according to the website’s public notices concerning contraband books, and must pass a review before reopening. Reopened stores that continue to maliciously upload books will have their seller’s identity on the website permanently shut down.
The website reserves the right to define what constitutes willful uploads of contraband books, including but not limited to the following acts:
>> Those who repeatedly upload titles they know to be banned even after being warned by an inspector;
>> Where an applicable field is available, failing to fill in or who fill in “unknown” when “secret” or “top secret” are marked;
>> Titles not corresponding to the book’s actual contents or image, when the image has been found to show a contraband book;
>> Uploading textual information, waiting for review, and then adding an image which shows a contraband book;
>> Willfully shortening or altering the name of a contraband book (for example, writing in traditional characters, adding special symbols, or eliding key words) to avoid the website inspectors. (((Wow – an instant primer in how to get away with this stuff. I had no idea, tell me more, etc)))
b) Sellers who have uploaded maliciously, and sellers previously found to have contraband books whose insufficiently thorough self-inspection missed certain contraband books, and whose contraband books fall into the serious categories (secrets, contraband politics), shall be subject to a one-week suspension by the website as punishment.
VI. Other Measures for Standardizing Book Listings:
[omitted]
The above rules go into effect the date of this publication and apply to all areas of the website: bookshops (stores, publishers, and vendors), the auction house, and the marketplace.
As the influence of the Internet has grown and the general public has begun to experience its conveniences, criminals at home and abroad have taken advantage of the Internet to engage in criminal activity of all kinds. (((Great of you Chinese pioneers in these matters to figure that stuff out for the rest of us.)))
National law and government agencies are attaching increased importance to oversight and inspection in this area. (((Do you have a functional "Cyberspace Czar"? Could you lend him to us? We promise not to damage him because we never use ours.)))
Sellers on Kongfz ought to be fully aware that information on the Internet is completely open and easily inspected, and should not play games with their own personal safety in the pursuit of a pittance of profit. (((However, if you're some kind of freak, spook, or ideologue, and you don't give a damn what it costs, feel free to make up a bunch of fake identities and have at it.)))
We hope that all book-lovers will consider the bigger picture and work together to build a safe, civilized Kongfz. Thank you all for your support.
Kongfz Used Book Net
2010.08.03
