Google China has promised to dramatically increase its efforts to erase pornographic and obscene content on its website after the country's internet watchdog condemned it for disseminating illegal content Thursday.

"Google has made sustained efforts to fend off pornographic and obscene content, especially those harmful for children. Google is going to increase its efforts and abide by Chinese law to wipe out such content from cyberspace," the company said in a statement Thursday night, hours after the CCTV exposure, which reported a large amount of illegal material could be found in its search results.

According to Sina.com, one of China's major online portals, some of the search results containing banned materials on Google's website had been blocked as of 9:30pm Thursday.

China Internet Illegal Information Reporting Centre (CIIRC) has strongly criticized the world famous search engine for "violating China's laws and regulations, contravening social morality and injuring public interest."

CIIRC had already accused Google China twice this year of offering links to pornographic websites. However, having received further complaints from internet users, CIIRC conducted a new survey and found large amounts of porn pictures, videos and erotic texts were still searchable through Google China.

The center issued a public announcement Thursday slamming Google China for failing to filter pornographic content, and spreading unhealthy information from foreign websites in China.

The announcement says Google China has violated Chinese laws as well as having a negative effect on society, especially the young.

CIIRC urges Google China to correct its wrongdoing and suggests the government impose a penalty. The organization also encourages China's internet users to submit more reports about unhealthy content online.

CIIRC is a non-governmental organization. It was founded on June 10, 2004 and is sponsored by the Internet Information Service Commission of the Internet Society of China. The organization receives public reports and complaints about illegal and harmful information on the Internet within the borders of China.

(CRI June 19, 2009)