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🇦🇺 Australia /Technology

China's VPN Crackdown Forces Users to Adapt Amid Tightening Internet Controls

From ABC Australia · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Chinese internet users are adapting to increasingly strict government controls on Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) used to bypass the "Great Firewall."
  • Users like 'Lin' report difficulties with VPN stability, often switching between different server routes to maintain access.
  • A VPN service, LetsVPN, suspended its operations in mainland China due to internet blockages, though it has since resumed with limited guarantees.
  • Analysts note a recent crackdown on VPN services, coinciding with sensitive political events and anniversaries, suggesting a coordinated effort to enhance censorship.

As Beijing tightens its grip on internet access, users in China are finding increasingly creative ways to circumvent the country's sophisticated censorship apparatus, known as the "Great Firewall." Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), essential tools for accessing blocked content, are becoming harder to use, forcing users to constantly adapt.

It's hard to articulate how often the disturbance occurs. Sometimes, videos on Instagram load really slow.

— LinA user describing the instability of VPN services in China.

Lin, who recently returned to China after completing her master's degree in Australia, described the challenges of using VPNs. She noted that a VPN she relied on a decade ago is still functional but suffers from frequent and unpredictable disruptions. "It's hard to articulate how often the disturbance occurs," she said, requesting a pseudonym for safety. "Sometimes, videos on Instagram load really slow." Lin explained her strategy of routing her connection through different countries, switching servers when one becomes unstable, utilizing options like Hong Kong, Japan, and Singapore.

They have routes like Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore. I don't know exactly what they mean. I just switch when it's not working.

— LinLin explaining her method for maintaining VPN connectivity by switching server locations.

The difficulties faced by users like Lin are compounded by VPN providers themselves suspending services. LetsVPN, a popular choice among expatriates in China, announced in April that it had "made a difficult decision" to "suspend services in China's mainland area" due to "the impact of continuous internet blockage." While the company has since resumed "standard operations," it cannot guarantee service availability in China, prompting users like Hong Kong resident Billy to seek alternative VPNs.

It's becoming more difficult finding stable VPNs. China recently is very active on banning VPN services.

— BillyA Hong Kong resident detailing the increasing challenges of accessing stable VPNs in mainland China.

According to US-based censorship analyst Eric Liu, April saw a new wave of crackdowns targeting VPN services. Telecom carriers were reportedly instructed to comb through their networks and block all VPN traffic. Liu suggested that these difficulties often arise when the government installs new censorship technology or during sensitive political periods, such as national congresses or the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre on June 4. The ongoing efforts to block VPNs highlight the government's determination to control information flow within China.

made a difficult decision to suspend services in China's mainland area due to the impact of continuous internet blockage

— LetsVPNA statement from the VPN provider LetsVPN explaining its decision to suspend services in China.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Australia in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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