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Great Firewall of China blocks Facebook?

by Elisabeth Young on Jul 2, 2008 at 07:46 PM

While not confirmed, news has been trickling out from Facebook users in China that they were not able to access their data.

A clear picture has yet to be painted but Facebook is close to confirming the phenomenon. “We are disappointed to learn of reports that users in China are having difficulty getting access to Facebook,”

Representatives from the social network reportedly told CIO News. “We have not made any changes to our site that would create access problems and are looking into the situation.”

China-based users are mostly expats from Europe and the United States, and a lot of them have spoken out on Twitter that access to Facebook is indeed blocked.

China has had a long history of content censorship on the web, but most internet giants (like Yahoo and Google) have allowed this censorship, giving them more leeway for bringing their content to China-based users. Some of the reports seem to be pointing to Facebook’s aversion to this kind of censorship as the root of the issue. As of writing, none of the major players in the issue have made solid confirmations.

Via [CNET]

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Comments
  • schumi said:

    after reading this,i checked my account in facebook,still i got in,so it’s not true,i’m in Shenzhen of China.

  • Catie from China said:

    I’ve been trying to get in for a few days now and can only occasionally log on, and then only for a few minutes. Usually get kicked off when I try to navigate to different pages. I’m in Chengdu, China. Even going through anonymizers doeesn’t work anymore because I either can’t get past my home page on facebook, or the anonymizer is too busy with other users with the same problem!

  • Robert Morrison from Xiamen, Fujian China said:

    I AM SO ANGRY!!! Facebook is one of the best ways the Foreign community keeps in touch in China. Personally, I am organizing a beach party, our last party last month had over 300 foreigners come out largely in part because of facebook and the power it has to communicate to our community here.

    CHINA HAS GONE TOO FAR!!! This is the most insane type of censorship, it is censoring people from connecting and communicating with eachother. It’s not about Free speech its about the Freedom to Assemble (On the net). Taking away our organizing tools is a very bad sign, that and all the VISA regulations that have made countless friends have to return to their own countries and those denied visas is showing us a very very communistic iron hand still ruling China.

  • Jennifer from Hangzhou, China said:

    This is 100% true.  I cannot log on at my apt here, but the internet at my work lets me log on fine… not sure why.  very very annoying!!!

  • Jennifer from Hangzhou, China said:

    by the way, 30 seconds after posting my last message, the window I had open with the blocked FB page suddenly was on the FB homepage, working perfectly.  VERY interesting.  How DO they find the time to scan so much?? its blowing my mind

  • Robert Morrison from Xiamen, Fujian China said:

    Yeah it’s been out at my home and at work but sometimes either or chooses to work. They are definately doing something. Maybe they’re testing a new scanning system. I say that cuz I can get to the website and the name comes on the top of the IE Explorer Title Bar but the window contents are empty. It’s like it has initially connected and then stop stransmitting, like it’s been intercepted. Seems like they are learning the transfer of packet system or something like that, not a techie but I think Facebook’s code has to be learned by the govvie before my privacy can be properly invaded.

  • kazz from Hunan said:

    Just about everything is blocked in my city in China. It is almost impossible to access anything. The best time to go online is about 3 am but that is no guarnatee. I also have more success at work it would seem our apartments have been targeted

  • Robert said:

    Your buidling probably shares lines with the entire housing complex and surrounding complexes. During the day all the businesses housed out of there have to share the same internet. Thats why at night it seems to work a bit faster I reckon….

  • Siobhan said:

    Yes, just tried to logon to facebook but nothings happening, other than my internet page comes to a complete standstill…...

    How bad is that????

  • Jeff said:

    I have unfiltered access to any site from China using http://www.Freedur.com. This little proxy rocks. They offer free trial. Try it, you’ll like it.

  • Dan said:

    Its true July 7th facebook is block totally, I was able to get into it at the office…but couldnt get on at the office on a personal PC or at home and I have the highest speed internet. Too bad I didn’t think pics of my friends and dogs were a threat to National security OH WELL MY BAD!

  • Annie said:

    I’m visiting China for a couple weeks, and for the first time facebook was blocked. It’s been fine for the past 10 days or so, then all of a sudden it won’t work today. even proxy sites that work aren’t really doing much, since they won’t let you post or share anything.

  • Gilbert from Wuzhou said:

    Reasonly I’ve travel across China inlcuded Shanghai, Zhejiang province w/o problem accessing facebook. 

    Just landed in Wuzhou found out I’m block from facebook, helpless

  • Brian from Guangzhou, China said:

    I’m in Guangzhou, China and facebook is blocked.

  • Revel from Shanghai said:

    Actually its been blocked, no access to fb anywhere in shanghai, not even with the use of proxy sites. Such a big blow to event promoters.

  • Elina from Shanghai/China said:

    Why did China blocks facebook??? Why? I wanna go in my account!I still have photos inside!!!

  • THIS IZ THE MOST ################ #### EVA!!
    so lyk rite now im in xi’an and in a hotel and BE4 i CUD go on fb!! it wuz just a lil slow but i cud still comment and stuf…but i went 4 2 nitez 2 this mountain place and wen i got bakk I CANT GO ON FB!!
    i cant even go on the website! i tried getting 2 it from the notificationz it sent me thru email, thru bookmarks, by typing the url…..nuthin worked. the site just wouldnt load. and no, the internet iz fine, seeing how i can navigate ezly to udder sitez, lyk this one
    AND IT ESPECIALLY SUXX cuz all my friendz r lyk *comment comment comment* and im the kind of person who just cant stand NOT havin the last wurd…lyk i c sum1 comment i just HAV 2 comment…yea im weirdd i knoz….so it iz quite frustrating if i can sayy so myselff
    o btw sowwy 4 cursing
    and sowwy 4 how long this iz >< i just hav nuthin better 2 do
    btw july 8th 2dayy
    will the block be lifted soon? i HOPE!!!
    and ALSOOO my name happenz 2 be my fb name 2 so friend me if u want!! :))....that iz, if u can go on fb *sobb*

  • O LOL THEY ### THE CURSEZ XDD im awesummm

  • Derek Cheng from Suzhou China said:

    In Suzhou it was working perfectly for my past seven months until 7 July circa 20:00…

    I am using that freedur proxy and works fine - even Youtube!

  • Kevin from Hebei said:

    Few days ago, I was in Beijing, Facebook was fine, but I went to the shore @ Hebei, and I’m in a hotel, facebook is blocked. This is SO annoying!

  • gulay said:

    i just want to log in to fb and harvests my crops in farmtown!!!!!waaahhhh i hope fb will be unblocked b4 my crops gone to waste!!! and also i miss my friends…..huhuhu

  • Randy from Guangzhou said:

    Yep, Facebook cannot be accessed here in Guangzhou.

  • Mona said:

    The censorship of these internet giants exposes only the tip of the Chinese government’s oppressive and paranoid iceberg.

  • Robert John Morrison from Xiamen Fujian China said:

    It’s been blocked in Fujian, Xiamen for 3 days.

  • youzabeast from Beijing said:

    LETS PROTEST AGAINST THIS HOMO GOVERNMENT!
    Whos coming with me????

  • Page 1 of 2 Comment Pages  1 2 >
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