Great Firewall of China: The Wall You Never Want to Experience!

China is one of the most controversial yet fastest-growing countries in the world. The way the country functions is genuinely an example of how an ideal country should work in the direction of growth. Everything. Be it tech, architecture, or policies that come out of this country are remarkable. 

However, with every shining surface, there’s always a darker side. The same goes for China. While the Great Wall of China brings pride to the country’s citizens, there is another wall they are not really proud of, the Great Firewall of China.

In this blog, let us look at the entire concept of Great Firewall China. What is it about? How does it affect the country? And more importantly, is there a way around it?

What is the Great Firewall of China?

The Great Firewall of China is a term coined by Western media to describe the entire blocking mechanism that the country uses to alter the internet facilities for the citizens. You might have heard that basic websites like YouTube, Amazon, Facebook, etc., are banned in China. That is the most basic example of the country’s internet censorship level.  

The government of China introduced the concept in 1996 with the name the Golden Shield Project, which then shifted its focus to cyberspace and internet censorship in 2013.

The idea behind creating the Great Firewall of China was to ensure that the country’s citizens stay away from news and information that might not be in the best interest of them or the country.

Considering how huge the internet has become in the world, it is a concern for many how the government controls what information goes into the country. The internet implemented in the country is also considered “spliternet” as it splits the internet into two. The one that we access in the open world and the one that is accessed by someone living in China.

A List of All the Domains Blocked by the Great Firewall of China [SHOCKING]

The internet in China is very different from what the entire world experiences. Thanks to the Great Firewall, more than 8000 websites are blocked nationwide. Listing all of them might not be possible. However, here are some notable mentions to help you understand the extent of this censorship.

• BBC
• Discord
• Dropbox
• Facebook
• Netflix
• Instagram
• WhatsApp
• Hulu
• LinkedIn
• Reuters
• Twitter
• The Economist
• The New York Times
• The Washington Post
• Google search services
• Reddit
• YouTube
• Zoom

For someone living in a country with an open internet, these are the basic websites without which passing a day might become difficult. But that doesn’t mean China is any behind the entire world. The same services are launched by the natives, and as the information on the local platforms is controlled, even the implementers of the firewall have no objection. 

How it Affects Internet Users in China?

Not having access to global information is a minus for the country’s citizens. Staying away from the facts and having access to only those things the government wants to feed you is a serious violation of human rights in many countries, but it is usual in China. 

The downsides of the Great Firewall of China include the following – 

• Access to half information leads to a lack of opinion among the users.
• The chances of disinformation are extremely high.
• Users cannot become a part of global discussions about anything that might impact the world.
• In a country with censorship, the Internet can become a way of spreading political propaganda.
• It also limits the country’s population to work with what they have, even in a world where collaboration is the key.

Must Read: How Does Internet Censorship Affect an Everyday Internet User

Not to mention, it can become a nightmare for someone moving to China from any other country as access to most of the platforms that users refer to is gone!

Conclusion: Is There a Way to Bypass the Great Firewall of China?

Yes, there is! If someone traveling to China needs to access the internet, and information from their native country, a VPN is a great option. If you are moving to China or simply traveling, you might require a VPN client on your PC, as once you reach there, you might not be able to install or access a VPN too!

Using a virtual private network, one can easily access the internet of a different geographical location, making it possible to unlock all the websites. However, make sure you choose a VPN that allows you to connect to multiple servers, as the security tools of the Great Firewall of China often ban IPs that are not native.

Systweak VPN can be of great assistance in such situations. It has all the necessary components, such as military-grade AES encryption, multiple servers, and IP masking, allowing you to bypass the Great Firewall of China easily!

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