(Yicai Global) Aug. 17 -- The network regulator of China's southeastern Zhejiang province recently met with the heads of five websites based within the province, including Taobao.com, an e-commerce website under Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. [NYSE:BABA], and Hithink RoyalFlush Information Network Co, a financial information platform, and demanded that these websites rectify their violations.

Certain stores on Taobao.com were engaged in sales of tools used to compromise computer information systems, sales of prohibited and restricted items, distribution of illegal VPN tools and internet accounts, awhile RoyalFlush posted harmful information that was falsely-oriented or vulgar and parodic, inspections and reports by netizens revealed, said a news release from the Leading Group for Internet Security and Informationization on Aug. 17. The Zhejiang web regulator also directed Peiyinxiu, a mobile phone dubbing software program, Mushroom Street, a consumer fashion e-commerce platform, and Xiami Music, a music software program owned by Alibaba to rectify violations involving illegal content and account registrations, among others.

It ordered Taobao.com to immediately remove illegal products and impose strict sanctions on stores in violation, Hithink RoyalFlush to cease running relevant systems and Peiyinxiu, Mushroom Street, and Xiami Music to suspend registration of new users for seven days.

All parties in charge of the five websites pledged at the meeting to fully and immediately rectify these problems and to provide services compliant with relevant regulations in the future, the agency further noted.