Fact Check: Can you use Google, Facebook and YouTube in China?
When is the last day you spend the whole day without using Facebook, Google, and YouTube? It possibly is the day that was so far away. Nowadays, we search for information, stay connected, get the update through these platforms every single day. Then, could you imagine your overseas education life in China without accessing these platforms?
China is a very different country in various ways. There are many things that you should know before going there. One of which is its internet access restriction. You might or might not have heard of it, but there is the famous nationwide internet firewall system of China which is known as the Great Firewall. Basically, this firewall restricts the internet access of the people residing in China to many websites including our top favorites such as Facebook, Google, and YouTube.
Reading till here, you might think the answer to our main question is a ‘No’. But the reality and the good news is always more than straight forward, and there are ways around this firewall and allows you to access these websites even when you are studying and living in China.
Virtual Private Network (VPN)
The most common and easiest way to bypass the nationwide firewall is through the use of a VPN. VPN is the kind of server that set around the world and allows users to connect to different IPs of the locations. To put it simply, the user of the VPN can set the location of the internet server to any location. Therefore, as long as the location IP is outside China, users can access any websites that are restricted in China even though they are residing in China. Though not free, the VPN can be signed up and subscribe at a relative acceptable price. Students can sign up for a plan on the VPN provider website and follow their instructions.
Legally speaking, there is no legal guidelines or regulation that forbids the use of VPN as many international corporations, tourists and some celebrities use it daily to access to the audience on a certain website and outside of China. As long as you are not using it for things that go against the law or the local government, this should not cause your problems.
Other Methods
Besides the use of a VPN to go around the firewall, there are also other less common ways. One of which is the use of the Tor browser. The Tor browser allows the user to access the restricted sites on it freely but not the other browsers or applications. Tor browser serves just any browsers such as Chrome or Firefox and it is free, but the disadvantage is the slower speed of loading. Another method is the use of Shadowsocks. However, this software requires the setting up of the remote virtual private server and some higher computer knowledge to configure, but better for users who need to access to the restricted sites most of the time.
In short, access to some websites such as Google, Facebook, and YouTube are restricted by China’s nationwide firewall, but the answer to our questions is that there are ways to bypass that through the use of VPN and other methods. With these being said, studying abroad is more than just studying, it is always a good idea to experience the practice in China such as the use of Baidu, Weibo, QQ, Youku, and so on instead of the familiar website we are using. To find out more information about studying and living in China, don’t forget to register now and grab your copy of our Study in China E-guidebook.
Register HERE now to get this E-guidebook for FREE.
***WEduAbroad is the local consultancy for study abroad offering free consultations. Students and parents are welcomed to visit us at the 9th Floor, B-Ray Tower, Preah Norodom Blvd, Tonle Bassak Commune, Chamkamorn District, Phnom Penh or contact us via phone call (855) 17 548 354 or (855) 81 63 63 60. You can also visit our Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/WEduAbroad/
Sources
1. https://thetowerinfo.com/access-google-facebook-china/
https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/042915/why-facebook-banned-china.asp
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