Recently obscene photographs supposedly featuring officials in Lujiang, Anhui province, engaging in group sex have been widely circulated online. Though college teachers rather than local officials later proved to be involved, the real issue is how micro blogs are able to spread such porn pictures, says an article in Guangzhou Daily. Excerpts:

Whatever the truth is, the pictures have been widely spread on the Internet and caused a great stir among netizens. Even if webmasters delete the micro blogs with these photos attached, it will not stop them having a negative influence on society.

The popularity of micro blogs means these pictures, which probably violate people's privacy, have been public browsed and circulated under the name of "exposing the lives of corrupt officials". However, once circulated online, the harm done is far beyond a porn forum.

The pictures are not taken by officials, but they will still have damaged the reputations of the officials.

If the pictures are "fun" between couples, it is up to the law and regulations, not the public, to judge their behavior. If the photos have been viciously manufactured, we should rethink how to censor micro blogs containing porn or violent pictures and videos.

Such material can have an adverse influence on young people. How can there be no warning against micro blogs that contain such material? The special administrators have deleted some micro blogs as swift as lightning, so why have they acted so slowly over these pictures that are harmful to society?

(China Daily 08/15/2012 page9)