Liu Qiang, vice director of the Cultural Market Department of the Ministry of Culture, reported the investigation at the press conference. [ Photo/Chinanews]

The Ministry of Culture issued a notice investigating the 23rd batch of illegal cultural activities online, with the aim of promoting the healthy development of online culture.

Several video websites, including Tudou, Youku, IQiyi, LeTV, Sohu, Tecent and Kumi were suspected of hosting animated videos full of violence and pornography. The illegal cartoons investigated were divided into 3 categories: violent and bloody; bloody and horror; lewd and pornographic. They were a disturbance to social order and public morality.

Officials from the Ministry of Culture indicated that it investigated cartoons on 19 video websites, twelve of which were found on Tudou and eight of which were found on Kumi which reached audiences of children. It urged these websites to rectify the errors and work harder to filter content that may be seen by minors. It also encouraged the public to report illegal animated videos and websites.