Daily Archives: January 28, 2015

China is boosting internet censorship to keep people from accessing sites like Google.

HONG KONG (CNNMoney)

The action, confirmed by state media, has affected VPN providers including Astrill, Strong VPN and Golden Frog, which have all reported trouble with connectivity in China, particularly on mobile devices.

China has long blocked access to what it deems as sensitive Internet content -- political commentary, foreign news outlets and sites like Google. Access to Twitter, Facebook and YouTube are also blocked in China.

Taken together, the restrictions constitute the world's largest -- and most effective -- state-sponsored censorship program. The effort, officially called "Golden Shield," is more than a decade old.

Using a VPN allows Chinese and foreigners alike to circumvent the Great Firewall. For around $10 a month, users are able to access blocked websites, Gmail and even Netflix.

Chinese state media described the crackdown as a "healthy development" for the Internet, and one needed to shore up cybersecurity. It follows a move to tighten access to Google's email service that began late last year.

Should the VPN blackout persist -- or expand -- it would be a real headache for companies that rely on the workaround to conduct business.

Related: The Great Firewall of China is nearly complete

Winger Chen, who owns a food and beverage consulting company in China, has always "felt some frustration with [spotty connectivity]," but considers it to be "just part of doing business in China."

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China crackdown makes it harder to get around the Great Firewall

Arthit Suriyawongkul, a researcher at Thai Netizen Network - a civil society group, said the controversial bills appeared to focus more on national cyber security than economic policy.

Arthit pointed out that some key details inside the bills were linked to the National Council for Peace and Order's declarations related to media censorship. If the bills came into effect, the result would be another form of state censorship through cyber and broadcasting services.

He expressed and shared this opinion in an academic seminar called "The digital economy policy and media reform", organised yesterday by Chulalongkorn University's Communications Arts faculty.

Arthit offered the cyber-security bill as an example. Under this draft law, the authorities would be allowed to set up committees able to access and survey the personal data of people across all forms and formats - without court orders.

A similar point between the NCPO's announcement and the new bills was that the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology would be placed under state sovereignty for national security reasons.

Also, panellist Prasong Lertratanawisute, director of the Isra Institute, suggested that to get access and collect personal data, the state authority should be permitted only by the court to ensure and guarantee people's rights were protected, plus freedom of information.

"Any bills involved with this issue must place more concern on privacy and rights of the people," Prasong suggested.

Pirongrong Ramasoota, a lecturer at Chulalongkorn University, said such bills would send the media reform process back to the past. She said another problem was the potential for abuse of power. So, the new bills should be amended to protect people's rights. "Under the bills, it seems the government needs to address public notification if they want to access personal data. This is not enough," she stressed and added that many developed countries in Europe emphasised consent in data collection and fair information practices. This was the point on which the Thai government must be concerned.

Apart from the public surveillance issue, media experts and scholars also expressed anxiety over media development once the laws were in place.

The panellists pointed to the NBTC's fund which is reserved for public research and development, disabled and disadvantaged people, benefits for the elderly and media development for public and community service. It would soon be used to fund government interests once the bills received endorsement by the National Legislative Assembly, they said.

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Digital bills a 'new level of censorship'