Different countries are governed differently and it depends largely on how your government is organized. You can sometimes find some governments to be outright beyond common sense. Imagine a situation where someone told you that you could no longer have access to your favorite social media websites. Supposing your website cannot be displayed to the public because there is the suspicion that the content defames the government or is deemed unsuitable for public consumption. Well, one case in point here is China.
The Chinese government has created the Great Firewall of China that automatically blocks websites that are suspected of having content that is against the rules set by the government. When you test if a website is blocked in China, you will learn whether the website has run afoul of the regulations of the Chinese government. This is particularly important for businesses that do business in China with their website.
The Chinese government has control of what its public does, and for you to understand more about the great firewall of china, here are reasons as to why the Chinese government blocks access to certain internet websites.
To maintain government superiority
When you look at some of the reasons why the Chinese government blocks websites, you will be surprised at how much internet freedom you enjoy. The Chinese government is supreme over its people, and anything that is suspected of defaming it is perceived to be a national threat.
When your website has content that directly or indirectly negatively portrays the Chinese government, the great firewall of china detects it and blocks the website immediately. The government of China is supreme. Anything that challenges it via the internet is blocked to keep the Chinese people from being negatively impacted.
To keep people in check
As opposed to other countries whose citizens have access to information and, as a result, give them the power to challenge authority, though this territory is shrinking by the day. As a way of keeping people in check, the Chinese government restricts websites that could spread information that could incite people politically and, as a result, cause an uproar.
The internet is the fastest way to spread information and disinformation to people, and it’s also an avenue where people can easily mobilize themselves and challenge authorities. To make sure that doesn’t happen, the Chinese government set up the great firewall of China to keep its people from getting information that may disrupt the status quo and throw the country into disarray.
To control website content that reaches the Chinese people
Website content within China that could seem explicit, obscene, or violent is immediately captured and blocked by the great firewall of China. According to the Chinese government, this is a way of making sure that the Chinese people remain morally upright. Additionally, websites that are suspected of having information that could spread rumors are also blocked. Information that is discriminative, sensitive, and unmoderated is blocked to control information that people have access to. Due to differences in cultural traditions, foreign businesses must be mindful of content that may offend the Chinese though benign to themselves.
Summary
The great firewall of china is effective in blocking websites, and there is no beating it to that. This powerful technological and regulatory tool is designed to capture keywords and IP addresses that could be suspicious of going against government rules. The only way to reach the Chinese people via the internet is to adhere to the rules regarding website content and getting tested constantly to make sure your website is not blocked in China.