Whether you are a tourist or a local, censorship can be quite irritating. Before traveling to China you might find yourself wondering ‘Is YouTube banned in China?’ and if it is you might be wondering if there are ways around it – luckily there are. VPNs are one of these loopholes that allow computer owners to access sites that have been blocked by the Chinese government.
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With the advancements in the internet, comes advancements in censorship technology. Many people are concerned about the effects of social media and some countries have taken drastic steps to prevent their citizens from being exposed to these influences.
One such country is China. They have implemented a system whereby they block incoming traffic from certain sites that they deem to be unfit for their citizens. Most of these sites are social media but there are also numerous news agencies and other websites that have made the list.
The technology functions similarly to a normal firewall in that it blocks certain traffic from accessing their country’s internet servers.
Yes, because you are unable to access it, along with numerous other sites, when you go on the internet on any Chinese server. This is thanks to the Chinese Golden Shield Project.
Why is YouTube banned in China if they are a democracy? This is a difficult question to answer politically but the actual reason for them doing it is simple: the Chinese government feels that these sites are influencing their citizens and thereby want to limit their exposure.
Censorship is a serious topic in China and the government has implemented various things to ensure the status quo is maintained. Even though they do this, it is still possible to figure out how to unblock YouTube and other websites.
Some of the other websites on the ‘banned’ list include WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Gmail, Netflix, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times.
If you are interested in a YouTube bypass or a way to access any of your other favorite sites while in China, then VPNs are the answer.
The best YouTube bypass is Virtual Private Networks. VPNs come in the form of a program that can be downloaded and used either on your desktop, laptop, cell phone, or tablet.
These programs allow users to mask their identity by changing their IP address, thereby preventing the internet service provider, and therefore the Chinese Government, from knowing that they are trying to access YouTube in China.
Different VPNs allow users to change their IPs to different countries and to use different protocols to do so. Each of these settings will have different effects on the success of your attempt to access one of the banned websites.
China has since taken further measures to ensure that anyone in China is not using these sites by blocking various VPNs and the protocols that they use. This does not mean your youtube bypass no longer works, but rather that you will need to do a little more digging before you find the right VPN for your needs.
There are plenty of VPNs out there but unfortunately, not all of them are created equal. Different VPNs have different benefits, some might help you gain access quickly but will provide slightly slower internet speeds as a result. Which VPN you choose will be based on your preferences and what exactly it is you need to accomplish.
Some of the most efficient VPNs are the ones that cost money, although there are free ones available. The free ones usually are not updated as frequently and there is often a lack of user-developer contact meaning that any changes that are required might not take place quickly enough.
Here are a few VPNs that can allow you to access YouTube in China:
Once you have downloaded and installed the VPN of your choosing, you are ready to begin surfing the websites of your choice – including YouTube. To do this you will need to follow a few simple steps and you will know how to unblock YouTube.
Firstly, you need to open the VPN and select a server/country. The server/country you choose is the most important aspect as it determines the IP address that will be generated for you by the VPN. You just need to choose a country where you know YouTube is allowed – which includes obvious choices like the US, UK, and any European country.
Depending on the VPN you are using, you might not have to do this next step. Certain VPNs allow you to use different connection protocols that give you different tradeoffs. These tradeoffs are all highlighted by the VPN and include faster speeds but less data security or faster connection time but slower surfing speeds.
After connecting to the server of your choosing, you will be able to connect to all of your favorite news and social media sites. Next time someone asks you ‘is YouTube banned in China’ you can say ‘not for me’.
Most people are interested in downloading software and programs for free nowadays, but you should always consider the purpose of the program and whether or not it might be a better choice to pay a few dollars for improved quality.
When it comes to VPNs you are looking for one that provides you with an extensive list of servers to choose from, one that has regular updates to ensure that the VPN stays relevant with the latest VPN prevention updates, and one that connects you quickly without sacrificing any of your speed or security.
If you enjoy quality streaming and don’t want to hassle with finding the right server and protocol settings, then a paid VPN is the best option for you. You will be set up in no time and most VPNs offer a trial/refund period where you can cancel your subscription should you not be satisfied.
Hopefully, after reading this article you are well informed about how to unblock YouTube in China and many other social networks and websites that you want to visit while in the country.