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CHINA’S Internet giant Sina.com is to lose its online publication license — a penalty that might partially ban its operations — after text and videos on the site were targeted in the country’s anti-porn movement.

The National Office Against Pornographic and Illegal Publications said yesterday that 20 novels on Sina’s online reading section and four sets of videos on its video podcast channel contained lewd and pornographic content.

It added that it had received “a huge number” of public tipoffs.

As a result, the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television revoked Sina’s licenses on Internet publication and audio and video dissemination.

People suspected of criminal offenses in the case have been transferred to police for further investigations.

An official with the office, surnamed Zhou, said it’s not certain when the punishment will be implemented or how much the fine will be as there should be time for the company to appeal.

While the website — including its book and video sections where the content were found — was still accessible last night, Zhou said some Sina.com operations might be disabled if the punishment takes effect.

“Some articles were as long as 500-plus chapters and clocked millions of clicks ... imperiling social morals and seriously harming minors’ physical and mental health,” the statement said.

The site was also found to have violated government rules in its online video services, the office said.

Sina posted a statement yesterday “offering the most sincere apology to all netizens and the public.”

The company admitted the website was indeed slack in supervising its content, and it felt “regretful and guilty” for not fulfilling its social responsibility.

Earlier this week, the country’s “Cleaning the Web 2014” campaign saw 110 websites shut down and 3,300 accounts on China-based social networking services as well as online forums deleted.

Sina Weibo microblog debuted on the Nasdaq exchange last Thursday, with its stock price surging by 19 percent from the subscription price of US$17. On Wednesday, it closed at US$21.4.