China’s Culture Ministry has accused the General Administration of Press and Publication (GAPP) of abusing its authority by cutting off access to World of Warcraft, a popular online game, Reuters reported, citing state media. A Culture Ministry official in charge of market affairs said that GAPP’s decision to forbid Netease from offering the latest version of the game “does not conform to the relevant regulations and clearly oversteps its authority.” The original version of the game is not affected. The fact that two agencies have taken the rare step of making their differences public is said to reflect the complications tied to regulating the internet. This comes at a time when the Communist Party is calling for tighter control over online activities. In October, GAPP banned many forms of foreign investment in the online games industry.
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