TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
China cracks down on tools used to get around web filters
Change text size
Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone
Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
In this Aug. 16, 2016 photo, attendees walk past a live visualization of internet attacks across China during the 4th China Internet Security Conference (ISC) in Beijing. (AP/Ng Han Guan)
A
Chinese technology regulator has announced a 14-month campaign to root out services that allow people in the country to circumvent the government's internet censorship.
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology says it forbids the use of virtual private networks (VPNs) or leased lines that allow users and businesses to access blocked overseas websites without permission.
The ministry said Sunday it also will inspect and "clean up" the market of internet service providers.
(Read also: China proposes new Web rules that could enhance censorship)
Numerous foreign and domestic companies in China use VPNs to conduct business, and private citizens often use the technology to access banned websites such as Google, Facebook and Twitter.
China's government has waged a long-running campaign to deter VPN use, blocking access to VPNs and regularly disrupting the channels.
