Why Are VPNs Illegal In China?

Hey guys, in this article, we will discuss why are VPNs illegal in china. So keep reading.

China has long been one of the strictest countries, especially when it comes to internet censorship. This makes it difficult for most people to access the websites that they need to while they are within China’s borders.

China has some serious internet censorship in place, which is enforced by the Great Firewall. If you’re within Chinese borders you won’t be able to access foreign news websites, social media websites, and even some Google services.

However, there is a way that you can bypass strict internet censorship by using a VPN. Here are some of the best VPNs to use in China.

Read on to find out more about internet censorship in China as well as how you can use a VPN to bypass it.

Internet Censorship In China

Internet censorship has a long history in China. The country uses its infamous filtering system called ‘The Great Firewall’ to block more than 8000 websites from being accessed within Chinese borders.

The official reason for the strict internet censorship rules in China is to “protect the citizens of China from outside influence and harmful information.” The government ultimately decides what is classified as ‘harmful information and thus blocks any website that it sees fit.

During the early 2000s, there was a lot of unrest amongst some Chinese citizens who opposed the government. Social media platforms were used by activists as a communication tool to coordinate protests against the government. Thus, social media was banned by the Chinese government and remains blocked until this day.

Foreign news websites released reports that shared information that undermined the Chinese government and leadership. In an attempt to prevent its citizens from seeing these reports, China banned all foreign news websites that spoke out against the government and the country’s leadership.

You may be surprised to hear that some Google services have also been banned in China. Ever since 2010, China has banned some Google features such as video and image search.

Videos and images of police brutality emerged on the popular search engine which resulted in the Great Firewall swiftly blocking the platform from being accessed within China’s borders. However, some Google features such as the maps and translate function can still be accessed while you’re in China.

Why You Can’t Use A VPN In China

China is very strict on the type of content that its citizens are allowed to access. Thus, they will try their best to prevent anyone from being able to bypass their censorship and access websites that have been blocked by the Great Firewall.

China is able to prevent its citizens from bypassing internet censorship by blocking the websites that allow them to download a VPN. If you’re not able to access the website that allows you to download a VPN, there is no way to install a VPN on your device.

Doing so allows the Chinese government to keep control over their internet censorship. While a VPN is technically illegal in China, no one has been fined or arrested for using one that has already been installed on their device.

How You Can Use A VPN In China

Since you’re not able to install a VPN on your device while you’re within Chinese borders you will struggle to bypass internet censorship. However, if you have a premium VPN installed on your device before you go into Chinese borders the VPN will work and you will be able to bypass blocked websites. Always make sure to install a VPN on your devices before you travel to China.

How To Install A VPN

Installing a VPN on your device is incredibly simple as long as you’re outside of Chinese borders. You can follow our simple step-by-step guide below to install a VPN on your device and use it to bypass internet censorship;

1. Find a premium VPN provider. Each VPN has its own benefits and drawbacks. It’s important that you do proper research to find the one that best suits your needs.
2. Download the VPN on your device. Premium VPNs are readily available on all major app stores. Alternatively, you can always visit the VPN provider’s website to install the application directly onto your device.
3. Create an account with the VPN provider. You can easily create an account by following the on-screen instructions.
4. Launch your VPN and choose which global server you would like to connect to. Make sure to activate the feature that allows the VPN to automatically connect when you turn your device on.
5. Once your VPN is connected you can browse the internet securely, anonymously, and bypass internet censorship.

It’s recommended that you avoid using free VPNs as they have several drawbacks that can have an effect on your privacy and security while you’re browsing the internet. For example, free VPNs often have speed limits, daily bandwidth caps, and a limited selection of global servers to choose from.

So that’s all from our side. I hope you liked this article on why are VPNs illegal in china. Thanks for reading!