Likely attempt to eliminate presence of Google.
By Raif Karerat
WASHINGTON, DC: The Chinese government has reinforced its digital censorship net, colloquially known as the “Great Firewall of China,” to the point that it is more difficult to circumvent than ever before.
The Great Firewall constitutes the world’s most intricate internet censorship platform. National authorities utilize their steadfast control over the internet to monitor and address any signs of political dissent or challenges to the ruling party’s leadership.
The Wall Street Journal revealed that a crackdown on virtual private networks — which, when operational, allow users to disregard Beijing’s appetite for censorship — has further limited access to U.S. media outlets such as Facebook, Twitter, Google, and YouTube.
The move is another step toward the Chinese government’s vision of a parallel online-environment that it can more easily control and manipulate. While the internet filters pointedly screen out content critical of Beijing, it also serves the dual function of protecting China’s nascent yet ambitious web firms against stronger competition from overseas.
Gmail, one of the international services now more difficult to access, provides crucial communication outlets to numerous international businesses that operate in China.
In late December, all access to Gmail was abruptly suspended for several days. Most experts, analysts, and analysts pointed to Beijing as the culprit, but representatives of the People’s Republic claimed they were oblivious to the nature of the disruption.
“I think the government is just trying to further eliminate Google’s presence in China and even weaken its market overseas,” said an anonymous member of GreatFire.org, a China-based freedom-of-speech advocacy group.
Further compounding the concerns of businesses and consumers alike, the Chinese government introduced regulations earlier this week for international companies that wished to operate within its borders. The new strictures require technology firms to make source code transparent, submit to audits, and build “back doors” into both hardware and software.