Parents and women's organizations are particularly worried about online content offered by Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai Chi-ying.

Matters came to a head yesterday for the second time this week as the Taipei city government levied a NT$1 million (HK$240,000) penalty on Taiwan Apple Daily and banned its distribution to all secondary and primary schools, citing over-explicit coverage of violent crime in its animated news service.

And readers must be at least 18 to view copies in public libraries.

The paper was fined NT$500,000 on Monday after complaints, and Taipei's Mayor Hau Lung-bin warned that fines will continue to be imposed until there is a change for the better.

"Although the most controversial parts have been removed, some descriptions on what happened during a sexual assault could still be seen in the animated news service," Hau said yesterday after imposing the additional fine.

But animations of a gang murder, a traffic accident and a female student being sexually assaulted remain on the Taiwan Apple Daily website.

In Hong Kong yesterday, the Apple Daily website depicted horrific abuse suffered by an infant, with a depiction of a 21-year throwing heavy punches.

The animation effort was launched on November 16, and a clamor for it to be pulled started almost immediately.

One protester on the streets of Taipei yesterday took aim directly at the Apple Daily boss, asking: "Lai Chi-ying, if your children or sisters are victims of sexual assaults and other newspapers report the news in a pornographic way, how would you feel?"

Other animations of real-life crime include a father sexually assaulting his daughter, a husband killing his wife and re-enaction of traffic accidents.

The hard copy of the newspaper carries barcodes linked to the videos.

Readers can scan the codes with phone cameras and then watch the videos.

After meeting with representatives from concern groups, Taiwan Apple Daily executive editor Ma Wei-min said controversial pieces will be removed and the daily will use caution in animations.

Lai has sights on opening a television station in Taiwan, but the controversy may hurt his bid for a broadcast license.

In Hong Kong, there appears to be a problem about who is responsible for supervising such animations.

The word from the Office of the Telecommunications Authority is that such offers are not within its jurisdiction, while the Television and Entertainment Licensing Authority is not sure whether it has the power to take action.

Ting Kwok-fai, a sociology professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, said: "Readers expect the news they read to be factual, unbiased and objective."

He also warned of legal issues if animations are obscene.