Unregistered sites to face closure

All Mainland-based Web sites and blogs must register by June 30 or face closure in the latest move by Beijing to crackdown on the "many problems, such as sex, violence and feudal superstitions and other harmful information" in the world's second largest Internet market after the US, the Associated Press reported, citing the Ministry of Information Industry web site. Commercial web publishers and advertisers may face fines of up to US$120,000 for failing to register, and private web sites, including noncommercial bloggers, must disclose the complete identity of the person responsible for the site. The ministry said 74% of all sites had already registered.