Internet Blocks, the Great Firewall and VPNs

[renzhe]

2 hours ago, Angelina said:

 

Also, yes, I am not planning to leave China just because certain VPN apps of dubious quality are no longer available.

 

So high-quality VPN apps should still be available then?

[Angelina]

@Zbigniew

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It won't be just the apps of dubious quality that will no longer be available though. I don't think anyone who has full access to uncensored commentary is in any doubt that the outlawing of VPNs in China is largely about information control, not quality control.

 

 

and no doubt legitimate developers from China are happy that the App Store is managed better now, not all apps removed this summer were VPN apps

 

 

We should distinguish between removing suspicious apps because they are suspicious and removing VPN apps because people can use them to access what is not available under the Great Firewall. If anyone refuses to see the first part is missing out on not only being informed about what is happening. You could be missing out on being involved in things like reducing extreme poverty, which don't evoke the us versus them groupthink that makes it to the headlines.

 

@renzhe

Quote

So high-quality VPN apps should still be available then?

 

 

Yes, they can be authorized. 

 

[imron]

3 hours ago, Angelina said:

Yes, they can be authorized. 

They can - by giving authorities access to their private certificates, which negates the whole privacy part of Virtual Private Network.

 

Apple removed VPN apps because they no longer comply with a new law saying VPN providers need to be authorized.  It is unlikely foreign VPN providers will ever seek to be authorized if it means giving the Chinese government full access to their network traffic.

[Zbigniew]

14 hours ago, Angelina said:

We should distinguish between removing suspicious apps because they are suspicious and removing VPN apps because people can use them to access what is not available under the Great Firewall.

This distinction was actually the basis of my post. What prompted my post was that when you said "I am not planning to leave China just because certain VPN apps of dubious quality are no longer available" it was hard to avoid the conclusion that what you were saying was that VPN apps being of dubious quality is the only reason why they are being outlawed in China.

 

Hopefully, your liking of imron's post constitutes an acknowledgement that VPN apps being "suspicious" or "of dubious quality" is not the only reason why the government is outlawing their sale and use, and hopefully you do recognize that the current stance on VPNs is chiefly a political decision consistent with the hard-line approach China's administration is increasingly taking towards free speech and the continued existence of the channels through which free speech can occur.

[Angelina]

10 minutes ago, Zbigniew said:

the current stance on VPNs is chiefly a political decision consistent with the hard-line approach China's administration is increasingly taking towards free speech and the continued existence of the channels through which free speech can occur.

 

 

I personally see a lot of money here. Most of the problems here happen because of money. If there is any tension or conflict coming, it will be, at least in my opinion, (and I hope it won't happen, hopefully world peace, hopefully love will trump hate), because of money. 

 

(If you want to talk about Reagan's evil empire or Hanna Arendt's totalitarianism, it will be off topic. )

 

 

Please stick to facts and the topic. I am really sick of all the hard-line approaches. I have seen too many wars. Enough. 

 

Yes, there is a political decision to remove VPN apps. Also, many, tens of thousands of other apps were removed from the App Store. 

In case you haven't noticed electronic payment is reality in China now. A lot of the things happening in cyber security in China are because of this. The regime is removing VPN apps. Yes. Does it mean freedom of speech is increasingly being threatened? You don't want to be crying wolf. 

[Zbigniew]

You've lost me, I'm afraid.

Never mind.

[lips]

7 hours ago, Angelina said:

love will trump hate

[ChTTay]

Well, I'm back within the G.F.W and it seems okay as far as vee pee ens are concerned. 

 

There might be some Chinese service still up and running too as I've seen the odd laobaixing browsing Pinterest or Facebook on the subway. 

 

Things might get harder at the end big meeting though. 

[Angelina]

The Great Firewall and academic publishing 

 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2017/aug/21/cambridge-university-press-to-back-down-over-china-censorship

[Zbigniew]

No views of your own on the matter, Angelina?

 

It was interesting to read the Global Times' Chinese language op-ed on the topic, http://m.huanqiu.com/r/MV8wXzExMTUzMDgwXzI4Ml8xNTAzMjQ5NDIw, not all of which was translated for the English language page. There's a somewhat woolly argument in the penultimate paragraph (it appears woolly to me, at any rate) about how western values aren't a matter of morality but of power, and then in the final paragraph some less ambiguous might-is-right rhetoric about how whose principles will win out all comes down to a struggle for power, and that time will ultimately tell who is right and who is wrong.  

[Angelina]

I try not to have any views on the matter, @Zbigniew, think local, act local, life is simple, breakfast, shower, laundry.

 

Otherwise, I stare into the abyss and the abyss stares back at me. (Nietzsche)

 

 

[kouch]

Hi guys.

 

I am sorry maybe it's not the right place to ask.

But regarding what all of you have said, what would be a VPN that works and that you'd recommend for us ?

 

Thanks

[Saxondale]

ExpressVPN has always been the best for me.

[kouch]

@thrice12 thank you

[DavyJonesLocker]

On 8/24/2017 at 11:16 PM, thrice12 said:

ExpressVPN has always been the best for me.

 

I have messed around with all sorts of Chinese VPNs, all have ranged from exceptionally poor to mediocre at best. Very slow speed, difficulty in connection, even when connected, still unable to access sites like youtube, gmail etc

 

Went to Express VPN and never looked back. 

[imron]

I wonder what VPN Trump is using on his visit?

[realmayo]

Xi may have suggested one...

"Maybe you can log in from my phone 吧"

[dwq]

Man in China sentenced to five years' jail for running VPN

As part of an internet ‘cleanup’, Wu Xiangyang was also fined an amount equal to his profits since starting service in 2013

 

[eagleeyes]

i bought one wireless router with VPN function. Once router is installed, I can use facebook ,google etc right away.

[mungouk]

What's On Weibo have just published reviews/recommendations of, erm, two VPNs, ExpressVPN and NordVPN.

 

https://www.whatsonweibo.com/best-vpns-for-china-summer-2018/