China is known for having one of the most restrictive internet policies in the world. The country blocks access to many popular websites and apps, including Google, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. This internet censorship is driven by the Chinese government’s desire to control the flow of information and maintain social stability. Let’s take a closer look at why China specifically banned Google and Facebook.
Background on Internet Censorship in China
Internet censorship in China can be traced back to the mid-1990s, when the Chinese government first began implementing policies to limit access to certain online content. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, as the internet grew rapidly in popularity, the government put more resources into establishing its complex system of filters, blocks and human censors. This system is commonly referred to as The Great Firewall of China.
The stated goal of China’s internet censorship is to preserve social stability and prevent the spread of socially undesirable content. This includes anything that criticizes the government and ruling Communist Party, discusses Chinese human rights issues, promotes alternative political ideologies like democracy, or engages with topics deemed morally corrupting. Pornography, religious cults, gambling websites and some LGBTQ content is also regularly blocked.
Over the years, the government’s censorship expanded to block many international news sites, social media platforms and search engines. Tens of thousands of people are employed to monitor online content and delete anything deemed objectionable by the government. Chinese internet companies are legally required to censor their own platforms.
Google Gets Blocked
Google entered the Chinese market in 2006 with the launch of Google.cn. In order to operate its Chinese search engine, Google agreed to censor search results as required by Chinese law. At first, this arrangement seemed to work. Google became the second most popular search engine in China behind local company Baidu.
In 2010, relations between Google and the Chinese government started to deteriorate. Google discovered that its infrastructure had been subject to cyber attacks originating from China, likely aimed at accessing the emails of Chinese human rights activists. Around this time, Google decided it would no longer comply with China’s strict censorship demands. It stopped censoring searches on Google.cn and moved its Chinese search server to Hong Kong, which has more freedom.
The Chinese government responded by fully blocking access to Google’s search engine and other services like Gmail and Google Maps within mainland China. This ban remains in place today, with the notable exception of Hong Kong and Macau which can still access Google.
Facebook Gets Blocked
Facebook launched in China to great fanfare in 2008. Within its first few weeks, the social network grew to 1 million users in the country. However, the party was short-lived. In 2009, Facebook was blocked by the Great Firewall without warning.
The reasoning behind the ban likely involved fears over the organizing power of social media. While people can use platforms like Facebook to connect with friends and family, these networks can also facilitate communication between activists, protestors and political dissidents. The Chinese government frowns upon any tool with the potential to destabilize or challenge its authority.
Another major justification was cybersecurity. Chinese officials expressed concern about the large amount of personal data that Facebook collects on its users. Allowing this information to flow freely outside of China’s borders was seen as a national security threat.
Regardless of the exact motivations, the end result was that Facebook joined Google and a long list of other blocked sites. It remains unavailable in China today without the use of a VPN.
How China’s Internet Users Respond
It’s important to note that despite government censorship, Chinese internet users have found creative ways to access Google, Facebook and other blocked platforms. Some common workarounds include:
- Using a VPN (virtual private network) to route traffic outside of China
- Accessing blocked sites through proxy servers outside of China
- Using censorship-dodging software like TOR
- Faking GPS location to appear outside of mainland China
Tech savvy citizens take advantage of these tactics to “scale the wall” and gain unfiltered internet access. However, the Chinese government employs increasingly sophisticated technology to detect and block the circumvention of censorship. People accessing banned sites from within China still face some level of risk.
Impact on Google and Facebook’s Business
Getting banned in China – the world’s largest online market – significantly impacted Google and Facebook’s abilities to grow their products and services. Let’s compare some key statistics:
| Company | Total Users Worldwide | Total Users in China |
|---|---|---|
| 3.5 billion | Very limited due to ban | |
| 2.9 billion | Very limited due to ban |
As these numbers show, Google and Facebook miss out on access to hundreds of millions of Chinese users. China’s domestic tech companies happily filled the void instead. Baidu dominates online search while social apps like WeChat provide alternatives to Facebook.
The financial impact is clearly substantial. Facebook alone was projected to earn up to $5.85 billion in potential revenue from China’s 772 million internet users in 2020. Banned western tech companies can only look on longingly as Chinese rivals thrive in the massive market.
Conclusion
In summary, China banned Google and Facebook primarily as a means of restricting its citizens’ access to information and maintaining strict social control. The government views uncensored platforms as a political threat. Cybersecurity concerns and ideological objections also factored into the decision.
Chinese people have found creative workarounds to access Google and Facebook. However, these sites remain firmly off limits for ordinary users within China’s borders. The bans deny Google and Facebook the chance to tap into a huge pool of potential users and associated ad revenue. This allows China’s homegrown tech companies to dominate instead.
Looking ahead, China is unlikely to lift its long-standing bans on Google and Facebook. The only potential change would stem from some unlikely major shift within China’s political environment and attitudes toward censorship. Until then, the Great Firewall will keep blocking two of the biggest names in tech.