Now, China cracks down on VPN vendors
China has now upped the ante by warning e-commerce platforms against selling illegal virtual private networks (VPNs). Five websites, which include its own home-grown shopping giant Alibaba, have been asked to remove vendors that sell VPNs. The Chinese government already has a strict online censorship in place and is now tightening the noose even further. Here's all you need to know about it.
What are VPNs usually used for in China?
A VPN or virtual private network allows Chinese Internet users to access a secure link to the Internet via foreign-based servers. China has a blanket ban on sites, such as Facebook, Gmail, and YouTube. Therefore, VPN is used by many to access them. Earlier, Apple was asked by the authorities to remove VPN apps from its China App Store, and they had complied.
Strict order to fall in line
The new directive from China's cyber-regulator, Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), has asked the e-commerce websites to conduct immediate "self-examination and correction". If they fail to comply, they will be subjected to severe punitive actions. The regulator's statement has asked for, "a comprehensive clean-up of harmful information, close corresponding illegal account...and submit a rectification report by a deadline."
How bad can things get?
Chinese authorities have already clamped down celebrity gossip social media accounts and imposed strict restrictions on what news should be made available on online platforms. Internet giants, which do business in China, have been asked to comply with the diktats along with the local ones. It has already closed several local VPNs in the past. The situation, many fear, will become worse in future.
