China's VPN Developers Face Crackdown (bbc.com)

China recently launched a crackdown on the use of software which allows users to get around its heavy internet censorship. Now as the BBC reports, developers are facing growing pressure. From the report: The three plain-clothes policemen tracked him down using a web address. They came to his house and demanded to see his computer. They told him to take down the app he was selling on Apple's App Store, and filmed it as it was happening. His crime was to develop and sell a piece of software that allows people to get round the tough restrictions that limit access to the internet in China. A virtual private network (VPN) uses servers abroad to provide a secure link to the internet. It's essential in China if you want to access parts of the outside world like Facebook, Gmail or YouTube, all of which are blocked on the mainland. "They insisted they needed to see my computer," the software developer, who didn't want us to use his name, told us during a phone interview. "I said this is my private stuff. How can you search as you please?" No warrant was produced and when he asked them what law he had violated they didn't say. Initially he refused to co-operate but, fearing detention, he relented. Then they told him what they wanted: "If you take the app off the shelf from Apple's App Store then this will be all over." 'Sorry, I can't help you with that'. Up until a few months ago his was a legal business. Then the government changed the regulations. VPN sellers need a licence now.

Comments

Where do you think you are, the U.S.?

[SuperKendall]

I said this is my private stuff. How can you search as you please?

Um, because you are in China???

I find it amusing that people in the other parts of the world think that protections afforded citizens of other countries seem to apply to them automatically also.

China is just a thinly veiled police state so they can search what they like, when they like. That's just the reality of being in China.

Re:Where do you think you are, the U.S.?

[Anonymous Coward]

And yet, many in the US are now using or considering using VPNs to avoid their own thinly veiled police state. And the cynical will wonder whether those VPN providers have been compromised by their overseers, or by friends of their overseers. Even Tor isn't safe from being compromised by the State.

Scoff away at those poor naive Chinese citizens.

Re:Where do you think you are, the U.S.?

[sit1963nz]

Yeah, its not like the USA will ever demand you unlock your phone at the boarder, demand you hand over what your social web site log/pass are, finger print you, etc.

I guess its also lucky they asked questions first and did not just start shooting.

Or perhaps they could throw you into a for profit prison and forced you to work, but its OK because they are prisoners not slaves.

Maybe China needs to elect a sexual predator to their highest office

From an outsiders perspective where we are not inundated and indoctrinated about how "great" the USA is, it actually looks just as sick as China, but just for different reasons.

Probably just the usual cycle

[Spy Handler]

Every 5 years the Chinese Communist Party has a big meeting and various leadership positions get shuffled around. It just so happens that another one of these is about to happen in a few months.

  Xi Jinping came into power in 2012 and it's widely believed that he will renew his position. Regardless, Chinese government always cracks down on various channels of dissent just before these meetings, or some other big event (such as Beijing Olympics). It usually blows over afterwards and things go back to normal.