Is VPN Illegal In China?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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China has no laws on the books barring private individuals

from using VPNs. There is no precedent of anyone being charged with a crime simply for using a VPN. That being said, Chinese authorities do make it difficult to get your hands on a working VPN. VPN provider websites are blocked.

Why is VPN banned in China?

The reason you need to use a VPN service to access blocked sites from within China is that the government and authorities in China block VPNs, because

VPNs are the secret tools used to access the sites that China is trying so hard to keep out of reach

.

When did China ban VPN?

Government use

Chinese internet users started reporting unstable connections in

May 2011

while using VPNs to connect to overseas websites and services such as the Apple App Store. Universities and businesses began issuing notices to stop using tools to circumvent the firewall.

Is watching YouTube in China illegal?

YouTube was first blocked in China for over five months from October 16, 2007 to March 22, 2008. … Since then,

YouTube has been inaccessible from Mainland China

. However, YouTube can still be accessed from Hong Kong, Macau, the Shanghai Free Trade Zone, specific hotels, and by using a VPN.

Is using VPN in China illegal?


China has no laws on the books barring private individuals

from using VPNs. There is no precedent of anyone being charged with a crime simply for using a VPN. That being said, Chinese authorities do make it difficult to get your hands on a working VPN. VPN provider websites are blocked.

Is WhatsApp banned in China?

China:

WhatsApp was banned by

in China by the government in 2017 and has not been unbanned ever since. The messaging app was banned because the government power to control the content was minimised due to WhatsApp’s strong encryption code.

Is Google banned in China?


Google

.

Yes, you cannot Google in China

. The world’s most-popular search engine is blocked in the country. Baidu is Google’s rival in China.

What happens if you use VPN in China?

So it should come as no surprise that the Chinese government is clamping down harder on VPN use

by introducing fines

. As The Inquirer reports, any individual caught using an unauthorized VPN service will now be fined $145.

Will VPNs be banned?

It may come as a surprise to some, but Virtual Private Networks

(VPN) are actually banned in some countries

. Although the list of countries that outright ban the usage of VPNs is short, there are others who tightly regulate the industry.

Is it illegal to use Facebook in China?

As of May 2016,

the only countries to ban access around the clock to the social networking site

are China, Iran, Syria, and North Korea. However, since most North Korean residents have no access to the Internet, China and Iran are the only countries where access to Facebook is actively restricted in a wholesale manner.

Is VPN legal in India?

It is worth noting that

VPN use is perfectly legal in India

. However, there are concerns that the service can be used to pirate copyrighted content or commit other cyber crimes.

Is Twitter banned in China?

China. Twitter is officially blocked in China; however, many Chinese people circumvent the block to use it. … The official account of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs started tweeting in English in December 2019, meanwhile dozens of Chinese diplomats, embassies and consulates run their accounts on Twitter.

In which countries VPN is illegal?

Currently, a handful of governments either regulate or outright ban VPNs, which include countries like

Belarus, China, Iraq, North Korea, Oman, Russia, and the U.A.E.

, to name a few. Still, others impose internet censorship laws, which makes using a VPN risky.

What sites are banned in China?

  • Facebook.com.
  • Twitter.com.
  • Instagram.com.
  • Pinterest.com.
  • Tumblr.com.
  • Snapchat.com.
  • Picasa.google.com.
  • Flickr.com.

Can you open Youtube in China?


Yes, Youtube is blocked in China

. Attempting to load the Youtube app or website while in mainland China will return an error. … Tip: If you want to unblock YouTube and other restricted sites you will need a VPN. Most VPNs won’t work, however, so pick one from our China VPN list.

What is the alternative to Youtube in China?


Youku

is one of China’s top online video and streaming service platforms, along with iQiyi, Sohu, LeTV, Tencent Video, PPTV, 56.com and Funshion.

Charlene Dyck
Author
Charlene Dyck
Charlene is a software developer and technology expert with a degree in computer science. She has worked for major tech companies and has a keen understanding of how computers and electronics work. Sarah is also an advocate for digital privacy and security.