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scmp.com
China tightens Great Firewall by declaring unauthorised VPN services illegal
Josh Ye

Beijing has launched a 14-month nationwide campaign against unauthorised internet connections, including virtual private network (VPN) services, which allow users to bypass the country’s infamous “Great Firewall”.

A notice released by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology on Sunday said that all special cable and VPN services on the mainland needed to obtain prior government approval – a move making most VPN service providers illegal.

The “clean-up” of the nation’s internet connections would start immediately and run until March 31, 2018, the notice said.

China’s cybersecurity chiefs pledge total loyalty to leadership under Xi

“China’s internet connection service market ... has signs of ­disordered development that ­require urgent regulation and governance,” the ministry said.

The crackdown on unregulated internet connections aimed to “strengthen cyberspace information security management”.

Major VPN service companies including Vypr and Express said they were aware of the issue.

While a representative from Vypr said the company was ­“currently working on ways around this”, a representative from ­Express by the name of Dane said that his company would ­release an official statement on its blog soon.

China blocks access to 135 out of 1,000 sites in one ranking of the world’s top websites, including Google, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, according to Greatfire.org, which monitors online censorship on the mainland.

As a result, many internet users on the mainland rely on VPN services to access blocked sites and services. A cat-and-mouse game has thus been going on for years between the authorities and VPN service providers.

The last major crackdown on VPNs was in March 2016 during the National People’s Congress meeting in Beijing. Many companies complained that their paid-for VPN services were not functioning for up to a week.

China cybersecurity law likely to harm foreign firms operating on mainland, says Asia finance body chief

Beijing’s censorship of online information and its control of internet access would be particularly vigilant in 2017 for the once-in-a-decade power reshuffle party congress, analysts said.

The Cyberspace Administration of China, which regulates the internet and acts as an online censorship office, pledged loyalty to the Communist Party leadership headed by President Xi Jinping on January 5.

Bureau officials issued a statement that said one of their priorities this year would be to cultivate an online environment that was “conducive to a successful 19th party congress”.

Two days ago, two websites run by a liberal think tank, along with 15 other sites, were shut down as control tightens ahead of the party congress.

The latest crackdown has caused a stir on the internet, with many social media users complaining that their VPN services had failed or slowed down. Some expressed fears of losing touch with the outside world or of being held accountable by security ­forces for using a VPN system.

One Weibo user wrote: “So many people are laughing at how [US President Donald] Trump is building a wall near Mexico while we are unaware that we have been thickening our own wall. The more we monitor, the more we lose.”

Source: http://www.scmp.com/news/china/poli...move-clean-vpns-and-strengthen-great-firewall

Shits going down soon!

 

[dhonk]

Oh boy D:

 

[Chairmanchuck]

Being in China again over Chinese new year, its almost impossible to open most western websites without a VPN.

Though I am not sure whether this is a blank statement like "we are banning timetravel tv shows and homosexual tv shows" while a lot of those are running up and down in chinese tv.

 

[Very Berry Sunday]

But I need my VPN, it was very helpful to watch adult art at South Korea.

 

[Dio]

Yeah, I knew someone who had a roommate that had a VPN that went through the Netherlands and they just used that to do everything when they were in Xiamen.

There's absolutely no way they can enforce this since basically every single person I've ever gotten acquainted with in China (admittedly my anecdotal knowledge is a very small sample size) uses a VPN in their apartment or at home or on their phone.

 

[sazzy]

Seems reasonable.

What good have Twitter, Facebook, YouTube etc done for the West?

Imagine how shit GAF would be if anyone could get an account and post shit.

 

[vern]

Keep giving me reasons to leave and yet I'm still here. Can't explain it.

 

[NobleXenon]

Honestly, I can see their PoV. China can point to social media and Democracy as things that destroyed the West.

 

[dreamcastmaster]

I imagine they will target Chinese companies running VPN services, they don't really seem to care about foreigners using a VPN. Most companies doing trade with the west won't be able to function if they cannot access the same services as their customers.

 

[ConfusingJazz]

Keep giving me reasons to leave and yet I'm still here. Can't explain it.

Cost of living is low (outside of Beijing and Shanghai)

Now excuse me as I hack up a lung.

 

[Lemaitre]

I was always curious about this when I was in China.

Running a VPN was the only way to keep some sanity over there. I doubt they could block entire VPN access though.

 

[shira]

But I need my VPN, it was very helpful to watch adult art at South Korea.

I just lost the virginity of my eyes

 

[Big-E]

I couldn't live there without one. It provided some sanity at the end of the day to connect with the outside world.

 

[Supermanisdead]

but how will i watch teens react to 90s music

 

[Karu]

Honestly, I can see their PoV. China can point to social media and Democracy as things that destroyed the West.

lol news to me.

 

[ronaldthump]

I read it. Apparently it applies to enterprise so Joe Blow is a-okay.