China cracks down on 'indecent' song lyrics: state media

(Morgan Lane Photography)

A city in southwest China has ordered a crackdown on indecent and politically rebellious songs in karaoke parlours, demanding that tunes with offensive lyrics be banned, state media said Monday.

Computer software installed on music libraries at up to 150 major karaoke parlours in Chongqing will also automatically prevent people from ordering up lewd songs, the English-language Global Times reported.

Authorities have found songs "which have obscene lyrics depicting sexual situations," the report said.

"Other songs had lyrics that played tricks on the image of political figures and some insult the dignity of other nations."

Besides the introduction of the filtering software, karaoke parlours in Chongqing were also ordered to delete all banned songs, the report said.

Karaoke parlours are hugely popular in China, but some have reportedly been fronts for illegal drug and prostitution rackets.