The Dark Visitor

The State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping (SBSM) and Central Propaganda Department, along with various local areas, are in the process of reviewing online mapping and geographical information websites to determine if they present a threat to national security.

According to the report, Chinese citizen’s territorial consciousness needed to be strengthened, the mapping marketplace required order and online “problematic maps” needed to be decreased.

The SBSM used technical methods to carry out an internet search and discovered there were 15,648 mapping sites.  Among these, 14,760 published maps and 888 provided geographical information services.  According to incomplete statistics, there were actually over 41,000 such sites, of which 8% posed a problem.

An SMSM spokesman said that despite the illegal actions of online mapping and geographical survey services, the “management” work had obtained tangible results but that problems and deficiencies still remained.  Online mapping presented a serious political problem and there was a high-degree of danger in revealing secrets.

Blah, blah, blah…the state would continue to carry out this work and develop a state approved map, available to all.

When China announced a crackdown on porn sites, you would have thought the internet exploded.  Daily updates on the number of porn sites shut down.  Now they come for maps…crickets.