Tip-offs on Internet and mobile WAP sites containing pornographic contents have surged Saturday as authorities announced Friday to give each qualified informer with up to 10,000 yuan (1,465 U.S. dollars) in reward.

Since the announcement, the China Internet Illegal Information Reporting Center had received more than 13,000 online tip-offs and more than 500 phone calls by 5:00 p.m. Saturday, 10 times the usual daily number.

The center, together with ministries and the National Office against Pornographic and Illegal Publication, issued a circular Friday encouraging the public to report on websites and mobile WAP sites that contain obscene information or put on illegal advertisements of sex products.

If more than one report on the same website had been submitted, the earliest informer would be rewarded, according to the document. A designated committee would be in charge of appraising if the informers are qualified for rewards and how much they should be awarded, ranging from 1,000 yuan to 10,000 yuan each.

China has launched several rounds of crackdowns on online pornography. In mid-November, the crackdown was extended to WAP sites that can be accessed by mobile handsets.