China's army of Internet users and operators are beginning to question the practicality and purpose of new controls on network -- mostly on-line -- music. 　　

"Network music" refers to music distributed by wired or wireless means, including music played or downloaded from the Internet, and provided by mobile phone servers and through cable TV and satellite communication.

The "Guidelines on the Development and Management of Network Music" issued last week by the Ministry of Culture have the stated purpose of preventing problems, such as poor quality, pirated uploads and downloads,and content that "offends" ethnic groups or "affects social stability".

"Network music based on music products copied or composed by netizens for non-profit purposes must be monitored more closely," said the ministry, which called for a "civilized and healthy network culture". It requires distributors to register all domestic music and songs spread by network without legal distribution approval from the ministry before March 1, 2007.

Wang Xiaofeng, chief writer of Lifeweek Magazine and a popular blogger, wrote in his blog that the standards of Internet users --and not regulative orders -- were the best to judge the quality of on-line music. He claimed that fighting piracy and copyright infringement was the work of copyright authorities, not cultural authorities, and argued that society was not so vulnerable that it could be affected by a few songs.

Many people doubted the ministry's ability to vet the huge quantity of music distributed through the Internet, and the examination would delay the distribution of good music. Wang said, "At least 500 new songs appear every day, and it would take a long time for the ministry to examine them. When they are eventually approved, the songs would have missed their time to become popular."

A chief operator of a large Internet portal said that it was awaiting further details from the ministry on how to regulate the music products of ordinary people.

Source:未知