One of the more frustrating challenges and adjustments upon arrival in China was not only the inability to access decent internet but also the discovery that much of the internet in China is blocked. I had heard a few things about blocked sites before coming but hadn't really given much thought to it until it began to affect me personally.Although most people probably know this already, I was not aware that China has actually constructed two kinds of walls: the famous wall of stone and a surprisingly effective internet firewall. Here's how Wikipedia defines this concept: "A firewall is a part of a computer system or network that is designed to block unauthorized access while permitting authorized communications. It is a device or set of devices configured to permit, deny, encrypt, decrypt, or proxy all (in and out) computer traffic between different security domains based upon a set of rules and other criteria." For me, a person with little technological knowledge, the internet firewall provoked hours of anger and frustration due to the fact that among the sites blocked included such favorites as Blogger, Facebook, Email and YouTube.
Wikipedia notes that China put the internet firewall in place to prevent anti-government opinions and organization online. "The size of the Internet police is estima
ted at more than 30,000 . . . Critical comments appearing on internet forums and blogs are usually erased withing minutes." The Chinese firewall is thought to be more extensive and advanced than any other country in the world not only because it blocks website access but also because it keeps track of certain individuals. Amnesty International has said that China "has the largest recorded number of imprisoned journalists and cyber-dissidents in the world." That being said, I won't be posting any negative opinions on current controversial issues such as: Tibet, Tienanmen Square, Taiwan, the Falun Gong or religion.To bypass the internet firewall I turned to my fellow (and much more technologically savvy) English teachers at the university. They all recommended buying a Virtual Private Network (VPN) service which basically "tunnels" through blocked access. I am using a VPN service called Witopia.
Here's how Witopia describes a VPN: "A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, is technology using hardware, software, or both to secure and privatize data across a network, usually the Internet, by building what techies call an “encrypted tunnel.” Data passes through this “tunnel,” protected from anyone who tries to intercept it. Even if the data is intercepted, it is hopelessly scrambled and useless to anyone without the key to decrypt it." Although this service costs about $60 a year, it is well worth unblocked internet access and the ability to communicate with friends and family back home via Facebook and Blogger.
Nunca te había leido en inglés. Escribes alucinante, Sarinha, te felicito por la inteligencia y el humor. Me ha encantado tu blog