Tip-offs on harmful websites surge 84% in 1st half: NPA
TOKYO —
The number of tip-offs received by a Net hotline center on harmful websites nearly doubled in the first half of this year from a year before, the National Police Agency said Thursday. The Internet Hotline Center received 66,832 reports on websites containing harmful information, such as an easy way to make poisonous gas, representing an 84.3% jump, the NPA said.
The center has been operated by the Internet Association Japan, a group for Net-related firms, since June 2006 on behalf of the NPA. Of the total tip-offs received, 6,139 cases involved illegal information such as pornographic pictures and sale of bank accounts to third parties, the NPA said. The center reported 3,409 of these cases to the NPA. The number of tip-offs on harmful information that may induce crime or suicide totaled 2,727, including how to make hydrogen sulfide, which made news headlines as a method of committing suicide.
The center asked Internet service providers to close 3,722 websites and 84.2% of them were shut down, the NPA said.
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13 Comments
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0
Sarge
timorborder - Heaps! Nyuk nyuk nyuk!
"harmful websites"
Heck, some sites have detailed info on how to construct a nuclear bomb.
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Mark_McCracken
The Constitution of Japan
Article 21: Freedom of assembly and association as well as speech, press and all other forms of expression are guaranteed. 2) No censorship shall be maintained, nor shall the secrecy of any means of communication be violated.
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medievaltimes
Does this include websites that are "anti-Japanese"?
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franz75
Mark_McCracken: there is a limit...
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Beelzebub
If laws were enforced against teen prostitution and anonymous slander, every bulletin board in japan would probably have to be shut down.
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franz75
Beelzebub: we don't browse the same BBS
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Youdontknow
Does this story sound familiar to those of us that have been here a long time? Remember about 7 or 8 years ago when they wanted neighbours of gaijin to report 'suspicious' activity to the city office or cops? There were something like 27,000 'reports' filed in a month, ranging from 'He's still sleeping and it's well past 6AM!' to "He has funny eyes. I don't trust him!" etc... No offence meant, but asking citizens of this country to report 'suspcicious sites' is like asking piranha fish only to eat vegetables!
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dennis0bauer
pornoghrapic images are harmfull? i have to be carefull then ;)
Big Brother Internetter is watching you!
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Nessie
Why would anyone put a tip-off on a harmful website?
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ThuleSociety
Japanese have no shame about being a nark. I was reported to the J cops for walking inmy garden topless.
How many of the tip offs are for legal stuff, an dhow much money is wasted?
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USARonin
Thule, I agree.
USAR
Moderator: Please refrain from using sign-off names.
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