India recently blocked 59 China-linked apps. However, ban on international websites and apps is not new in China. The country follows very strict internet censorship, known as Great Firewall of China, existing since more than a decade. Intenet in China is a world unto itself, where government monitors content and the word’s most-popualr websites and apps are not easily accessible. Though China has never publicly revealed and acknowledged details about its tight grip on internet, the policy reportedly includes blocking of certain IP addresses, filtering specific URLs and keywords. Here are some of the biggest websites and apps that are blocked in China.
1. GOOGLE
Yes, you cannot Google in China. The world’s most-popular search engine is blocked in the country. Baidu is Google’s rival in China
2. FACEBOOK
The world’s no. 1 social network too is not accessible in China. WeChat is the largest social media platform in China.
3.TWITTER
The popular micro-blogging website Twitter too is banned in China. Weibo is Twitter’s equivalent in China
4.YOUTUBE
Google-owned video platform YouTube too is blocked. YouTube rivals in China are Youku.com, a subsidiary of Alibaba, and Tencent Video.
5. INSTAGRAM
Like its parent company Facebook, the photo-sharing platform, Instagram too is blocked in China. Tencent-owned WeChat is said to be a mix Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram.
6.GMAIL
The world’s most-popular email service Gmail is blocked in China. It can’t be accessed from anywhere within the country.
7.WHATSAPP
The world’s no. 1 instant messaging app WhatsApp is blocked in China. Tencent-owned instant messaging app QQ is quite popular in the country.
8.GOOGLE MAPS
Like all popular Google services, Google Maps too is banned in China. The map developed by Baidu search engine is widely considered the most popularly-used map in China.
9.TINDER
The dating app cannot be accessed in China. One of the most-popular dating app in China is Momo.
9. QUORA
The question and answer site and app is not accessible in China. One of its key rival in China is Zhihu.
