The invention and widespread use of the internet has changed millions of lives thanks to:<\/p>\n
For many, the internet is something you\u2019re used to having and is all but taken for granted, seen as a right<\/em> more so than a privilege. But for countless others, access to the internet, as we know it, is quite limited.<\/p>\n While some governments censor internet use<\/a> and employ firewalls that restrict access for the (alleged) purpose of combating illegal file sharing and software piracy, others go so far as restricting what many view as harmless websites.<\/p>\n It\u2019s common knowledge that there is no Facebook in China<\/a>, Russia restricts political media<\/a>, and North Korea, the most restrictive country on the planet, bans almost everything<\/a> people enjoy about the internet: pornography, torrents, political media, and social media.<\/p>\n Officials in these countries\u2019 governments claim that they\u2019re just looking out for the welfare of their citizens:<\/p>\n Perhaps not surprisingly, it\u2019s been noted that countries that employ the most restrictions are also the same countries that suppress public protests or political unrest. It\u2019s this proliferation of restriction that makes government censorship a scary prospect, indeed.<\/p>\n In discussions concerning the censored web, China is where most of it takes place, according to a report by Freedom House<\/a>, a US-based, government-funded NGO that conducts research and advocacy on democracy, political freedom, and human rights.<\/p>\n China has blocked popular websites and apps like Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, Wikipedia\u2014and that\u2019s just the tip of the iceberg. Tourists or expats living in China can only access these online properties by employing the use of a VPN to get around China\u2019s government blocks.<\/p>\n Catching wind of this, the Chinese government passed a law in January that sought to ban VPNs that aren’t approved by state regulators. In line with this Chinese governmental policy, Apple removed VPN services<\/a> from the Chinese version of its App Store.<\/p>\n Needless to say, many VPN providers were adversely impacted by the implications of this move by Apple. Luckily, Chinese VPN users with billing addresses in other countries are still able to access VPN apps purchased from other branches of the App Store.<\/p>\n Says Sunday Yokubaitis, president of Golden Frog, which oversees VyprVPN:<\/p>\n \u201cWe view access to Internet in China as a human rights issue and I would expect Apple to value human rights over profit.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n This is just one <\/em>of the things that China has done to regain control over the internet.<\/p>\n On April 12, 2012, large parts of the<\/a> internet in China <\/a>went down<\/a> for about 45 minutes. Chinese users reportedly could access foreign websites, while US and Hong Kong users couldn’t access Chinese websites. According to reports, the Chinese government was “regulating” the “gateway function” of China’s “international portals”\u2014in other words, making their firewall stronger.<\/p>\n Because China is the country made up of the world\u2019s largest population (and has the most internet users), many major websites are eyeing China as a potential traffic source. Of course, because of its many restrictions, the Chinese people are quite difficult to actually reach.<\/p>\n So how does one reach the world when dealing with the censored web? And more specifically, how can WordPress, which powers 28.5% of the internet<\/a> do this?<\/p>\n To most people, the use of the internet is just as critical and necessary as the use of their eyes or ears. Because of this, the issue of internet censorship can seem comparable to cutting off oxygen to your lungs.<\/p>\n John Gamboa<\/a>, a WordPress specialist who has worked in China, spoke to the WordCamp for Publishers<\/a> audience in August 2017 and shared insights on how foreigners that visit China can accept (or get around the idea) that the internet isn’t free in China, what to do about it, and how to design for the censored web.<\/p>\nWhat Countries Have Internet Restrictions?<\/h2>\n
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The Great Firewall of China: An Introduction to the Censored Web in Action<\/h2>\n
The Principle of Internet Sovereignty<\/h2>\n
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