Chinese businesses and Internet users are waiting for a ban on non-state sanctioned virtual private networks (VPNs), , to take effect.
The ban was promulgated on 31 March, but so far authorities haven’t been forthcoming with much information about how and when it will be implemented.
“We understand the concern of local and international businesses in China, as well as the needs of scholars, scientists, students and others who vitally need VPNs to freely access the World Wide Web,” says Marty Kamden, chief marketing officer of NordVPN.
VPNs allow companies and individuals to securely access web sites that are blocked in China. These include Google, Facebook, many news sites, and other social media sites and search engines.
The new Chinese regulations ban anyone from using VPNs that are not approved by the government.
Businesses have reported that so far there had been no announcements from authorities about the ban and they were concerned about the lack of information.
“NordVPN is working in China with no problems,” says Kamden. “We plan to continue these operations, and we are constantly looking for workarounds in China so that people can freely enjoy the Internet.”
A VPN service encrypts traffic flow between the Internet and a user’s device. It can also prevent tracking software from monitoring the user’s Internet activity and helps hide their IP address.