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Great Firewall of China Blocks Edgecast CDN, Thousands of Websites Affected
An anonymous reader writes: Starting about a week ago, The Great Firewall of China began blocking the Edgecast CDN. This was spurred by Great Fire's Collateral Freedom project, which used CDNs to get around censorship of individual domains. It left China with either letting go of censorship, or breaking significant chunks of the Internet for their population. China chose to do the latter, and now many websites are no longer functional for Chinese users. I just helped a friend diagnose this problem with his company's site, so it's likely many people are still just starting to discover what's happened and the economic impact is yet to be fully realized. Hopefully pressure on China will reverse the decision.
China is bigger than Edgecast CDN, so expect Edgecast to painstakingly get rid of the censored content it's hosting and to beg China for reconsideration.
I never heard of any of those sites listed in TFA. And since it's doubtful anyone in China cares about the Colts, that leaves Mozilla.
it's likely many people are still just starting to discover what's happened and the economic impact is yet to be fully realized
Economic impact would be probably close to zero.
I had to block ALL of china's IP addresses due to constant and incessant hacking attacks. They have so many bad actors this can only be a good thing.
China is seriously awesome!!! :)
Thank you firewall
Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more!
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
Where is the place you want to be? Is it farm living? Is it New York? Is it in the country-side? Manhattan? Or are you going to stay in bum-fuck-egypt and complain until the cows come home. MOVE!
pressure from the West normally gets China to do things differently. Unfortunately, I can't think of ANY examples right now where it has worked in that direct of a manner.
Sleep your way to a whiter smile...date a dentist!
Right, because people over there have the right to just leave. And the xenophobic anti-immigration people will just let them move.
Can we please hear about the ways censorship can be circumvented instead all the bitching about China? Copyright holders and their puppet governments censor our internet also. What's being done about that? Besides bitching about China??? Fuck China! Just knock their damn walls down and be done with it! We have the power. Goddammit, use it! Censorship deserves NO respect, anywhere! I believe there are few things more pleasurable to see than a frustrated dictator's head explode. Neutralize their weapons, and we will have peace.
And Slashdot, fuck you, too! You let the goddamn spammers post more often than me. These fucking proxies can be a pain in the ass. But since that's the way you play, then, game on!!
And FIX YOUR STUPID MESSAGING SYSTEM!!!!!!!!!! Asswipes!
A lot find their way around it. Chinese are incredibly resourceful people. The problem however is the old hat grumpy men soon to be extinct communist idealists. Its just a matter of time, they think they are in power and will continually be fooled into thinking the are until one day they have not job.
As most websites are no longer self contained, but require numerous dependencies to other websites for data, content, analytics and js libraries, China's gated internet will become more isolated from the rest of the world.
Perhaps Hong Kong may face similar issues with regards to net access and online freedom in the near future? There has been talks about that recently.
Maybe web developers will need to write a "China mode" for front end sites, in addition to "Desktop" or "Mobile" mode that will only use old school 1990's style HTML look and feel. Bring back the frames :)
Where is the place you want to be? Is it farm living? Is it New York? Is it in the country-side? Manhattan? Or are you going to stay in bum-fuck-egypt and complain until the cows come home. MOVE!
China now has a bigger economy than the United States...
Writing this from china right now. But I have the VPN so I'm not worry :)
If you try to use sites with Youtube video or facebook like button or even google ads the sites are messed up. In the future a "China mode" might be necessary.
A china mode is a bad idea because anyone that is a parent or has taken psychology 101 knows that if you condone bad behavior you'll just get more of it.
China blocking everything is wrong and the only solution is to get it stopped.
it burns
It usually doesn't work that way. Typically thos old men are willing to kill and oppress for those ideals. Blood will run in the streets before they loose their jobs.
AND find a country that will let them just move there.
It used to be that the entire world was very scared of the Pressure from the *West* because it would be a crushing blow to whoever the West decided to punish
It used to be, no more
The West is getting weaker by the day - as their technological / military / moral advantage get plummeted - nowadays even the banana republics in Africa / Latin America / Asia do not care so much about what the *West* wants anymore
Muchas Gracias, Señor Edward Snowden !
Firstly, China isn't blocking everything in the world. They are blocking undesirable content into their own country that a majority of the Chinese public agrees should be blocked. Do people get annoyed about the Great Firewall, yeah. Do they talk openly about it, yes. Do they see lifting it at the present time being a better alternative, no.
There's another much better solution. If you cannot abide by a country's laws, then stop doing business in that country.
Let's flip the entities involved. The US government hacking into routers (as well as having deep links into US technology companies like Cisco, Google, Intel, Facebook, Microsoft) all around the world is wrong and the only solution is to get it stopped. The Great Firewall is merely one (of many imperfect) measure to protect the Chinese Internet from the US government.
is Akamai. Now THAT would block out most of the web for them....
Why would I ever used a CDN? One point of failure for millions of sites? Stupid.
The Chinese Communist Party should be trusted by no one.
They occupied Tibet in 1949. It is only ignorance of history and greed that drives anyone to trade with them. Behold, those who trade with CCP, have now build a monster.
These are interesting times.
GreekGeek :-)
"It left China with either letting go of censorship, or breaking significant chunks of the Internet for their population."
I love the tiny minds at work here. People who cannot see outside of themselves, nor consider any perspective but their own Western one. As if there were any choice involved! China doesn't block websites because they're evil, they block websites because they are damaging to China's body politic. These overseas actors want to harm China, and like antibodies reacting to bacteria, China's government reacts to block the damage. You can cry censorship all you want, but the fact remains that it's for China's own good that these actions are taken.
I remind everyone that the Chinese Communist Party is made up of the smartest people in China. It is full of scientists and engineers, people with analytical minds, and people who are qualified to make decisions for others. If Slashdot were based in China, the most thoughtful constantly-modded-up users would be mostly CCP members. Think of John Gruber, the MIT economist who helped get the badly needed Affordable Care Act passed despite opposition from lesser minds. There is nothing particularly scandalous about what he did. The seriousness of the deception depends on the extent of the harm done. Getting healthcare for millions of uninsured is the same as China's blocking these harmful websites. A little harm is done, mostly to people who intend harm in the first place, and much good is done to people who badly need it. It is a Faustian bargain, but it is worth it. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.
The Western mindset that censorship is automatically bad is outdated and unsuitable for 2014 and beyond. We need to just relax and let the smart people do their thing. We're better off with them in charge rather than the mob. If you disagree, then say so - but don't doubt China's justification for its own point of view, which I doubt anyone, especially those in this "freedumb center", has even taken a moment to think over.
Shutting down free speech with violence isn't fighting fascism. It IS fascism!
The only result will be switching off the internet completely in China.
What's needed is for those so-called freedom-zealots to realize that it's them who creates problems, by not taking the de-facto internet architecture (with politics, censorship and similar legitimate business needs of governments) into account. In other words, by not using the correct threat model.
Free US (eg illegal colonialisation, broken treaties), Free Canada, Free Guantánamo Bay, Free New Mexico, Free Northern Ireland, Free Okinawa, Free Guam, Free Diego Garcia. Or do I need to add more exclaimation marks?
China has an extremely strong claim to Tibet that even the Dalai Lama does not contest. What Tibetians want is greater autonomy (which is reasonable). And given how the CCP generally tries to treat ethnic minorities slightly better (eg exempted from the one-child-policy), Tibet probably would have had greater autonomy if foreign influences hadn't tried to interfere, sparking historically-well-founded fears that Tibet was being used to subvert the CCP.
Or to put it another way. There are hundreds of ethnicity/communities around the world dispossessed from their lands (including some probably in your backyard). How much noise do you make about them? If the Chinese government was an ally of your country (but kept Tibet), would you make as much noise? Do you actually give a damn about Tibet, or do you just want to find an excuse to whack China? If the Chinese CCP fell over tomorrow, in the chaos that inevitably follows, would you care about Tibet (or the people of China)? How much did you care about the people of Russia in the chaos that followed the fall of communism or did you merely celebrate your victory?
They are blocking undesirable content into their own country that a majority of the Chinese public agrees should be blocked.
I wouldn't believe that statement no matter what country you're talking about.
Firstly, China isn't blocking everything in the world. They are blocking undesirable content into their own country that a majority of the Chinese public agrees should be blocked because their government tells them it should be, and they don't get to hear any opposing views on the matter.
TFTFY.
Il n'y a pas de Planet B.
because their government tells them it should be, and they don't get to hear any opposing views on the matter.
I'd be interested in hearing how to ensure a free and open media that isn't subject to the prejudices of media barons (and those with wealth and power); the covert/overt powers of a government; corporations with the motivation/money/people and a public that is willing to give up their freedoms in return for promises of temporary safety.
Then I'd like you to suggest how to move the Chinese media towards such a system in a manner that would improve the lifes of the ordinary Chinese and China as a whole. If your answer consists of letting entities overtly/covertly supported by foreign governments open access to the Chinese media, I hope you can also demonstrate how the result will benefit the ordinary Chinese rather than merely shift the political elite from unrepresentative Chinese elite to even less representative non-Chinese elite.
BTW - The Chinese public does get to hear alternate views and inside China I've been involved in political discussions in the public (eg in a restaurant). True, it's significantly easier to hear Chinese views than Western views (and the censorship does plays an important role). But I'd argue that it's more difficult to hear unadultrated Chinese views in mainstream US media (the language barrier doesn't help, nor does the rabid nationalism that effectively censors news sources such as Aljazeera). In both China/US, alternate views are easily accessible to those who seek it out, but those in power ensures that the mainstream narrative supports those in power.
The public doesn't get to hear any opposing views on the matter because they frankly don't care. The public at large cares far more about their friends, family and career. Hell, they care more about their favourite sports player or singer.
You, of course, have ceritified polls to back up this statement.
As an additional point, this is not a case of China blocking undesireable content. They are blocking a major portion of the Internet wholesale, regardless of what the content is.
Stop defending that medieval prison pit of a country, you shill.
You, of course, have ceritified polls to back up this statement.
As an additional point, this is not a case of China blocking undesireable content. They are blocking a major portion of the Internet wholesale, regardless of what the content is.
No, I got it from talking to Chinese locals on the ground. Yes, it's anecdote and not data. Where's your certified poll from a non-biased country that supports the statement that the Chinese public wants the firewall to be lifted wholesale? And, of course, you demand a certified polls for everything right? Or just for things you disagree with? While there are significant fractions of Chinese society who want a more open Internet, a large portion of the population are still quite convervative.
And secondly, exaggerating merely demonstrates the weakness of your arguments. Google and Akamai are significant (though still not a majority) portion of the Internet. Edgecast is line-noise. I'm sure that the Chinese government would be more than happy to put a more selective block in place if Edgecast chose to work with the Chinese government and abide by their laws. But if you have a company recklessly and wantonly ignoring a country's laws because it doesn't feel like it needs to abide by it, then expect to be blacklisted. This way, the Chinese government only affects its citizens. Or would you prefer that the Chinese government invade another country, just because not everyone follows Chinese laws/culture?
The reason CDN wants China is money. So, if China wants to block that, it's their country. Painting "freedom" on a capitalistic venture is not fooling the Chinese government.
Hell, Verizon is riding on edgecast.
It little behooves the best of us to comment on the rest of us.
" And the actual metric you attempt to generally cite is bogusmips."
Here is a citation for you:
"This week the International Monetary Fund updated its data on the world economy. For the first time it ranks China’s economy as the world’s biggest in purchasing-power-parity terms. Historians, though, point out that China is merely regaining a title that it has held for much of recorded history. In 1820 it probably produced one-third of global economic output. The brief interlude in which America overshadowed it is now over."
http://www.economist.com/news/...
It left China with either letting go of censorship, or breaking significant chunks of the Internet for their population.
DMCA-style takedown or GEO-Lockdown of CDN content upon an e-mail request of the Chinese government.
Is your post in reference to China or the US?
You mention "prison pit" so you must be referring to the US which has a far higher incarceration rate:
US prisoners per 100,000 = 707
China prisoners per 100,000 = 124 or 172
At least if you want to post negative comments and call people a "shill" check your facts first.
Interesting how we share a similar opinion.
Most of those "Free Tibet" crowd seem to have died off. You no longer see them standing in front of the Chinese embassy like you did of years past.
Most don't seem to even understand the political structure of Tibet and what the "lama class" is. Maybe the Chinese did some "bad things" there, but was the ruling elite any better?
The fact the Dali Lama pulled in a salary from the CIA for years has to make you wonder what the real "ties" between the US and Tibet are vs the propaganda machine. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CIA_Tibetan_program)
How many of those "Free Tibet" people have ever actually been to China or Tibet? DO they know what most Chinese/people of Tibet actually want?
"Free Tibet" reminds me of the "falun gong movement". The world was up in arms, but then it quietly faded away as something new came along.
Hi, not the OP here. Here are my 2 cents in case they interest you:
I'd be interested in hearing how to ensure a free and open media that isn't subject to the prejudices of media barons (and those with wealth and power); the covert/overt powers of a government; corporations with the motivation/money/people and a public that is willing to give up their freedoms in return for promises of temporary safety.
For that you need (1) laws that ensure freedom of the press and absence of laws that could be indirectly used to control journalists, (2) working anti-cartel laws, and (3) actual enforcement of these laws by a non-corrupt, fair and independent justice system. Media barons are not much of a problem then, because there are enough choices for news sources. In other words, although there is always a bias of the media towards conservative rich, because most media barons belong to this class, there will always be enough alternative views as long as there are effective anti-cartel laws.
Then I'd like you to suggest how to move the Chinese media towards such a system in a manner that would improve the lifes of the ordinary Chinese and China as a whole
Improving ones life is a very relative thing. Many people would think that free press is an improvement of life in itself, just as due process or universal health care are. Or should be think of life improvement in terms of money and goods only? (Not saying that consumerist goods are not important, just saying it's a matter of balance between other values.)
Anyway, my suggestion would be to implement the laws that allow free journalism, abandon censorship, abandon surveillance, and so forth, and you will get your improved system. It will never happen, though, as long as there is only one party in charge, because a one party system invariably leads to corruption and too many people who want to and need to stay in power. Even a two party system is not enough ...
Regarding what the public cares, I wouldn't be so sure. History has shown over and over that people in relatively oppressive regimes appear to not care about politics and support their system. But once their regimes are overthrown it practically always turns out that they had almost no real support. It's also quite understandable when ordinary people who are no heroes don't want to mess with a system that could get them years of prison just for writing a political blog. You shouldn't really give much about the alleged opinion of the "masses" unless you get this opinion from secret anonymous wide-scale opinion polls, which to my knowledge have never happened in a totalitarian system. Same for things like censorship. People who do not have good knowledge of what is being censored cannot realistically assess whether they are for or against the censorship.
And what to buy? Apartments that no one can afford (hello Florida housing bubble to the max cubed). Or ENTIRE cities with no one in them. It's funny. It's like paying lifers (in prison) $40k a year but then what can these lifers buy? Nothing TO buy. If they could buy apartments which no one can afford to live in, I suppose they would. POP! It will come. If you could only see through the (literal) haze. And yes, bogusmips. You only don't understand the lingo.
10x the population that's for sure. Don't forget who saved your asses in WWII. You'd all be talking Japanese now, I really think so. And the actual metric you attempt to generally cite is bogusmips.
More like 3X the population actually.
I don't know, the Japs were pretty chicken shit ally of Germany, having gotten their nose bloodied by the Russians in WWII, they became the quintessential silent partner to the Krauts, craw back into their own hole while the Krauts got decimated on two fronts.
I think the Japs were more afraid of the Russians than the Americans.
I think the Americans saved the Japs from speaking Russian now, I really think so.
Well your tune changed from denial of the existence of Chinese influence to ... their influence has nothing to apply against.
What will we find out next? That you're just a jealous loser?
Seems to me when it comes to bogus (eh bogusmips in your little make believe world), you're a living example.
In the posting linked, Great Fire admits that they were gambling on China's reluctance to block a CDN. Unless Great Fire's intentions and actions were known to EdgeCast in advance, EdgeCast potentially has a legal case against Great Fire for any lost income or expenses related to this event. Regardless of Great Fire's altruistic intentions in using CDNs, they knowingly risked a third party's service to achieve their goals.
Whether EdgeCast would choose to involve the courts is a whole different question.
But if you have a company recklessly and wantonly ignoring a country's laws because it doesn't feel like it needs to abide by it
Does Edgecast operate in China at all? Because if not, then it absolutely doesn't need to abide by China's laws.
Verizon *owns* Edgecast.
+1
This.
Pretty much every country on earth tries to keep people out.
Is your post in reference to China or the US?
You mention "prison pit" so you must be referring to the US which has a far higher incarceration rate:
US prisoners per 100,000 = 707
China prisoners per 100,000 = 124 or 172
At least if you want to post negative comments and call people a "shill" check your facts first.
Yeah because they shot the other 600. And/or took their organs to be transplanted to the filthy rich.
One can say the same thing of Mexico. Look, if you like China stay in China. If you don't, well, stay in China. Better than North Korea. I suppose. They don't kill their babies (girls) until their one and only boy, so that's a plus.
Pointing the finger to other bad guys is never a valid defense, it just reveals your amorality.
They are blocking banks, like HSBC. These are used in china, and will have economic impact.
This will mean more firms needing VPN, and possibly lobbying against the central government policy.
Censorship is fine when it only impacts a few, but once it starts costing "certain people" money...
MPS might have shot themselves in the foot this time.
The Internet is already very broken in China. Think of how many websites include images or other assets from facebook, twitter, or google (all blocked in China). That's a significant portion of the non-Chinese internet. Those pages will be so slow to load that they are likely to time out. Combine that with the thousands of other blocks and the extra latency introduces from the Great Firewall itself. Surfing the non-Chinese internet in China is already not practical without a VPN. All kinds of cloud-hosted assets which are common on the non-Chinese internet are blocked or too slow to work properly in China. This is just a another big step in the wrong direction, but not a particularly new phenomenon.