The use of virtual private networks (VPNs) to bypass China’s “Great Firewall,” which blocks popular sites like Google, Wikipedia, and Facebook, is illegal under Chinese law.
While working remotely for an international company, an unnamed Chinese citizen was fined 1.06 million yuan ($144,907) for accessing blocked content online by use of a Virtual Private Network (VPN).
According to reports in the local media, used a virtual private network (VPN) to gain access to internal networks in order to do things like review source code on GitHub, communicate with customers, hold Zoom meetings, and start multiple Twitter threads.
The decision said the expert was using electronics “without permission for illegal international networking,” which was revealed by China Digital Times.
According to papers obtained from the Chengde Police, the individual’s profits accrued via the use of a VPN were classified as “proceeds of crime,” resulting to a substantial punishment comparable to the individual’s three years’ income, totaling $144,097.
Use of virtual private networks (VPNs) to bypass China’s “Great Firewall,” which blocks popular sites like Google, Wikipedia, and Facebook, is illegal under Chinese law.
Pros in China’s IT and Web3 industries, who rely on VPNs for routine distant business operations, are understandably worried about the new law.
This unusual punishment highlights China’s unrelenting implementation of its rigorous internet laws, sending shockwaves of worry across the IT industry and among consultants and those working with foreign partners.
To retain dominance over the country’s digital exchanges and rigorously monitor internet information, the government has made this choice.
Beyond the obvious legal effects, this judgement highlights the common and all-encompassing character of digital regulation in China.
It highlights the increasing limits on digital freedoms and interaction, creating an atmosphere of ambiguity and dread surrounding digital communications and distant cooperation, especially with foreign peers.
This strict stance by regulators and subsequent legal actions are a stark reminder for professionals to be fully aware of and follow the current cyber laws. They stress the growing restrictions and possible risks of using the internet and accessing international web platforms without permission in China’s increasingly strict digital environment.
