Taobao caught in China's VPN crackdown

BEIJING • The Chinese authorities have warned its top e-commerce platforms, including Alibaba Holding Group's Taobao.com, over the sale of illegal virtual private networks (VPNs) letting users skirt censorship controls.

Five websites were asked to carry out "self-examination" to remove vendors that sell such VPNs, a notice by the Zhejiang branch of the Cyberspace Administration of China said.

REUTERS

Apple goes all out on original programming

SAN FRANCISCO • Apple plans to spend about US$1 billion (S$1.38 billion) on original programming in the next 12 months, to compete with Amazon.com and Netflix in video streaming, said people familiar with the plan. They said a team will produce and buy TV shows and films for Apple Music and video streaming products.

BLOOMBERG