China Shuts Down VPNs That Bypass Great Firewall, Declares VPN Services Illegal
The government of China thru its Ministry of Industry and Information Technology shuts down all VPN or virtual private network services that encrypts internet traffic and bypass computer firewall which lets users access blocked websites. The ministry released a notice to all VPN services to obtain prior government approval to operate. This action has led into pronouncing all current VPNs illegal until they get approval from the national government. This is a part of Beijing's 14-month nationwide campaign against unauthorized internet connections that runs until March 31, 2018.
China To Strengthen Cyberspace Information Security
According to the ministry, the Chinese government's internet connection market has signs of disordered development that needs immediate regulation. The crackdown of these unregulated internet usage including the exploit of VPN services is aiming to strengthen cyberspace information security management, South China Morning Post reported.
A representative from Vypr, said that they are aware of the issue. Express on the other hand is currently working to solve the problem and will release official statement soon. Vypr and Express are the major VPN services provider in the country.
Many of Chinese residents rely on VPNs to access 135 blocked websites out of the top 1,000 sites of the world by "The Great Firewall Of China." This is to uphold cyberspace security especially from popular social media websites including Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and even the world's most used search engine, Google. In addition, these websites are more likely to display sensitive contents such as hate-speeches and even pornography.
China Cybersecurity Law May Harm Foreign Investors, Says analyst
Meanwhile, analyst Cary Huang believes that China's strict online information regulation can greatly affect foreign investors residing in the mainland. The Cyberspace Administration of China pledged loyalty to the Communist President Xi Jinping on January. The administration should be vigilant as it prepares for the reshuffle party congress.
