Editing Internet censorship in China (section)

=== VPN protocols ===
In 2017, [[Apple Inc.|Apple]] started removing all VPN apps from Apple app stores at the behest of the Chinese government.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Choudhury |first=Saheli Roy |date=2017-08-02 |title=Apple removes VPN apps in China as Beijing doubles down on censorship |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2017/07/31/apple-removes-vpn-apps-in-china-app-store.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171109023820/https://www.cnbc.com/2017/07/31/apple-removes-vpn-apps-in-china-app-store.html |archive-date=9 November 2017 |access-date=2021-07-25 |website=CNBC |language=en}}</ref>

Beginning in 2018, the [[Ministry of Industry and Information Technology]] (MIIT) in conjunction with the [[Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission|Cyberspace Administration Commission]] (CAC) began a sweeping crackdown on all VPN providers, ordering all major state owned telecommunications providers including [[China Telecom]], [[China Mobile]] and [[China Unicom]] to block VPN protocols with only authorized users who have obtained permits beforehand to access VPNs (provided they are operated by state-owned telecommunications companies).<ref>{{Cite web|date=2017-07-11|title=China moves to block Internet VPNs from 2018|url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jul/11/china-moves-to-block-internet-vpns-from-2018|access-date=2021-07-25|website=The Guardian|language=en|archive-date=14 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210814134622/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jul/11/china-moves-to-block-internet-vpns-from-2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Increased government crackdowns on VPNs have reduced their overall speeds, according to [[GreatFire]].<ref name=":4" />

Although China restricts VPNs, they remain widely used by private individuals.<ref name=":9222">{{Cite book |last=Šebok |first=Filip |title=Contemporary China: a New Superpower? |publisher=[[Routledge]] |year=2023 |isbn=978-1-03-239508-1 |editor-last=Kironska |editor-first=Kristina |chapter=Social Control and Propaganda |editor-last2=Turscanyi |editor-first2=Richard Q.}}</ref>{{Rp|page=109}} [[State-owned enterprises of China|State-owned enterprises]] or state institutions also use VPNs for official work.<ref name=":9222" />{{Rp|page=109}} The Chinese government has authorized several official licensed VPN providers who comply with Chinese censorship and backdoor access laws.<ref name=":9222" />{{Rp|page=109}}<ref>{{Cite web |title=Are VPNs Legal? The Worldwide Guide – Forbes Advisor |url=https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/are-vpns-legal/ |access-date=2024-06-08 |website=www.forbes.com |date=30 May 2023 |archive-date=8 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240608134303/https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/are-vpns-legal/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Those who develop or sell their own VPNs potentially face years in prison.<ref name=":9222" />{{Rp|page=109}}