China bans cam-girls from sexy banana eating online

China seems to be going bananas in its online crackdown on anything raunchy or abnormal, from homosexuality to foul-mouthed internet stars.

State media reported that authorities have enforced a ban on sexy cam-girls from streaming videos of themselves chomping on bananas "in an erotic manner".

Cam-girls are women who pose seductively on webcams, and their shows live-stream online.

Getting eyeballs and big bucks

The cam-girl phenomenon has sparked a huge industry in China.

Online hostesses and streaming companies can reap big bucks through ad revenues and promotion of products.

Popular girls with a big following can earn between 10,000 yuan (S$2,000) and 100,000 yuan a month, reported Shanghaiist news site.

They entice and tease their viewers and fans into buying them virtual gifts, like roses, chocolates and designer bags.

Related: Male clients infatuated with virtual hostesses

[[nid:188471]]

Mainly male fans

Nearly 70 per cent of the viewers are between 19 and 35 years, and over three-quarter are male.

One of the biggest streaming sites, YY.com, claims to have 120 million active users, and has made revenues amounting to 5.9 billion yuan.

Challenging decency

The prospect of earning big bucks has seen some cam-girls going to the extreme, like stripping, posing in the buff or even having sex, to draw more viewers.

China's internet regulator said competition among the sites have increasingly forced them to push the boundaries of what is acceptable online.

Which explains the latest swoop on eating bananas.

How the government will keep an eye on ever cam-girl, we're not sure, but maybe there's someone out there who's more than willing to take up that job.

chenj@sph.com.sg

Read also: Money, sex and crime on the Internet