We like to think of the internet as this massive tool that brings the world together — and in many cases, you’d be right. Having access to the internet means it’s easy to connect with people around the globe. But not everyone has access to the same sites.
Government control in other countries, like Russia, China, or North Korea, is a lot stricter than it is in, say, the United States or in countries within the European Union.
So which apps and sites are blocked in China, and how can you check?
What Is the Great Firewall of China?
Tourists might visit China for the Great Wall, but individuals who call the country home have the Great Firewall of China to contend with when they’re accessing online content.
The Great Firewall of China is a colloquial name for the Golden Shield Project, a combination of legislation and technologies employed by the government of the People’s Republic of China in order to regulate the internet within its borders. The only exceptions are the country’s special administrative regions like Hong Kong and Macau.
The firewall uses a variety of tactics, from active filtering and probing to proxy distribution and blocking tools in order to prevent Chinese citizens and residents from accessing websites that are considered inappropriate or offensive, according to the Chinese government.
Can You Bypass the Great Firewall?
As with most technological advancements, as soon as someone invents something, someone else finds a way to break it. There are tools available to help users bypass the firewall, such as proxy servers, VPNs, and other free programs, but they don’t come without a cost.
As of 2017, the use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) in the country is considered illegal in most cases. One student, who was attending the University of Washington, was arrested and incarcerated for months in a reeducation camp for the simple crime of using a VPN to access her homework while she was home visiting her parents.
The threat is only something you need to worry about if you’re in the country, but it does impact anyone accessing the internet within the borders of China. Between the remaining trade tariffs and internet control set by the United States Trade Representative, globalization can be a challenging task in both directions.
How to Check Which Sites Are Blocked by the Great Firewall
How can users check to see if China has blocked their sites? There’s a variety of tools that can test your website and see if it is blocked by the Golden Shield. This can be essential if you plan to expand your business into China or surrounding areas. These tools include:
It is important to note that even if your site works in China today, that could change at a moment’s notice. The state of internet law in the People’s Republic of China is constantly evolving. The government can decide to tighten or loosen their grip as it sees fit.
Right now, the sites most commonly blocked are western news and social media, as well as anything built on user-generated content, in addition to anything the government believes is undermining the current Communist Party.
If you are in China, you can obviously check your websites in person.
Keep in mind that there are fewer than 10 exit points where information leaves the country. While this does enable the government to keep closer tabs on the data entering and leaving the country, these tend to become overloaded during peak hours, and users may find themselves struggling to access your site even if it isn’t blocked by the Great Firewall.
Websites that only operate in the country and don’t transmit beyond their borders must self-censor too.
Navigating the Internet
Determining whether your site—or any site you want to access—is blocked in China is as simple as plugging the URL into one of the tools listed above.
Determining whether your site is compliant with the current government in China is another challenge altogether. Taking the time to understand the restrictions currently in place, as well as any changes that might be on the horizon, is essential for anyone looking to use the internet in China or businesses looking to expand into one of the biggest markets in the world.