The nationwide crackdown on surfing banned websites in China has snapped close to home in Nanjing, with the detention of a local man for selling VPN (Virtual Private Network) services.
Software developer, Mr. Zhao, from Nanjing was taken into custody on 21 August for contravening China’s Cyber Security Law that came into force on 1 June this year. He was held for 3 days.
During his confession, Zhao explained that he initially set up a VPN for his own personal use, helping him to read information from abroad. Sensing a demand, he went ahead and started to sell same, offering the competitive price of ¥10 for a 1 month subscription, dropping to ¥120 for 2 years. Local police report that Zhao’s revenue from his sideline business totaled ¥1,080.
It is the latest in a series of developments this year surrounding use of the controversial technology. A young man in Dongguan, Guangdong Province, recently received 9 months’ jail time for selling VPNs via his website since October 2015.
Meanwhile, virtually all unapproved VPNs have been shut down by the authorities. Those with approval are typically restricted in the range of services they can offer; for example, it has been reported that Google search is often permitted but Facebook is not.
The larger piece of the puzzle is VPN use by large corporations, who require that data be secured whilst in international transit. VPNs offer just such a facility. Hence, the government’s desire to allay fears of a blanket ban, following rumours that emerged in July in which it was falsely reported that Beijing had instructed leading Internet providers to completely stop all individual access to VPNs by early next year. Hence, the State’s issuing of a quick rebuttal.
