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In a move that surprises noone, China is cracking down on video hosting websites. Under new regulation, effective Jan 31st, sites that provide video programming or allow users to upload video must have a permit and be either state-owned or state-controlled. Permits for video hosting sites will be subject to renewal every three years and operators who commit violations may be banned for up to 5 years.

China claims the new censorship is to control the country’s “social stability” and “reputation”. Words are Youtube has been blocked, and its chinese clones such as Youku and Tudou will be restricted soon, if not closed down completely. These new regularations are simpliar to the previous ones imposed on websites (Wikipedia is blocked since last year) and news portals. More regulations are likely to come as the communist country trying hard to plug the holes in the bucket that is the Internet.