Can I use Gmail/facebook in China?

mjt

mjt

mjt

Soldato
Joined
31 Aug 2007
Posts
20,541
I'm off to China next week and was wondering if anyone here has had any direct experience with using Gmail, facebook, etc behind the Great Firewall of China.

If I won't be able to access my emails for 2 weeks I'll be pretty annoyed.
Facebook I can live with, but it's still a pain in the ass.

TIA
 
Gmail, unsure, probably not. Facebook, definitely not.

Just use a VPN and you're good to go, pretty common over there.
 
If not make an address that works (friend uses hotmail over there im sure) and forward your emails there so you can read them at least?

You can also get facebook to email you notifications of everything, then reply to them to comment back, at least gives you the ability to reply to people/keep in touch

VPN is definitely the best route though
 
Or you could install something like logmein on your home pc and leave it on and use that to access your pc then see everything with no issues. Oh and don't get caught ;)
 
Not sure how it is now but i went just over two years ago and used a few inernet cafe's and got on facebook and gmail fine.

Only issues i had was trying to use paypal or any website that required payment as it would instantly block my cards.
 
It varies depending on where you are in the country - some sites that were blocked for me worked in Shanghai - but what's blocked and what's available changes fairly regularly. I never had access to Facebook/Youtube, and Gmail only worked intermittently, but that was back in 2009, so who knows now. Fortunately, our university provided a VPN for us, if you want to be sure then get one sorted before you go.

And yes, no problems using Skype.
 
Only just saw this thread, so maybe too late for your trip...

Gmail is much better now. I hardly ever have a problem.

Skype no problem as long as you install it on your laptop before you leave. If you try to install Skype out here, you will be redirected to something called TomSkype which is monitored.

Facebook and YouTube are blocked, but accessible through a proxy or VPN.

Google.co.uk seems to intermittently block, depending on what you are searching. It returns to normal after only a few minutes.

I have had no issues at all using PayPal or making online payments, but I have been out here quite a few years now.
 
Westie said:
sorry for my ignorance! but why are these sites banned in china?
Click to expand...

Very long story.

Do some reading on the internet about Communism and the great firewall of china.

Essentially the chinese are paranoid that the internet will cause the chinese to start a revolution and overthrow the government. So they supress the free media and instead only have state sanctioned news papers and TV, such that the only news the chinese get, is news the government has deemed they are allowed to read.

Google , gmail, skype, youtube, facebook etc.. are all mediums they could use to obtain news the government doesnt want them to hear (stuff that is critical of the way the chinese government does things) so the chinese attempt to block it.
 
Currently in Wuhan, China, and I've beenin Beijing, Xi'an, Chengdu, Chongquing and Yichang. No issues getting onto Gmail or Skype. Facebook is inaccessible unless you use a VPN or some other techno thing I'm not clued up enough to know how to set up... :o
 
Revolution, uprising, free tibet.

Come back on this page when you're out there; the authorities will love you :D

But as suggested, a VPN is the best option, but I'm pretty certain they have got a bit less stingy with what sites you can visit now...
 
Fergie said:
Currently in Wuhan, China, and I've beenin Beijing, Xi'an, Chengdu, Chongquing and Yichang. No issues getting onto Gmail or Skype. Facebook is inaccessible unless you use a VPN or some other techno thing I'm not clued up enough to know how to set up... :o
Click to expand...

Dont worry you aren't missing much. Just people saying they are doing all of this fun stuff (as they sit there to type and let everyone know) and they're having such a great time doing so (yet had the time to say, hold on wait.. let m e tell everyone what im doing)

:).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom