4 ms·

> As does any messenger through a VPN Except VPNs are illegal in china. If a site is banned in china. Using a VPN to circumvent the law is breaking the law. E

> As does any messenger through a VPN Except VPNs are illegal in china. If a site is banned in china. Using a VPN to circumvent the law is breaking the law. Email is not secure.

idra 7y ago
There is no such thing as "the law" in China. You may be imprisoned or disappeared if you didn't do anything to circumvent "the law", there are always undisclosed "relevant rules and regulations" ready to be unleashed. You can also carry out brazen illegal activities as long as you are well-connected (until you start stepping on toes of someone more well-connected than you). So what if email is insecure, neither is Wechat. And encrypted email is still a thing.
- lazyasciiart 7y ago
  It's easy to point to examples of all those things in the US. Both countries still have laws.
  - 101404 7y ago
    You are wrong. There is a big difference between countries with independent judicial systems, and China where judges are below the local party secretary. Chinese laws are decoration. What actually counts is what the party decides.
    - lazyasciiart 7y ago
      Did you know that 95% of people convicted of a crime in the US were not convicted by that independent judicial system? https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/prisons-are-packed-because-prosecutors-are-coercing-plea-deals-yes-ncna1034201 https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/prisons-are-packed-bec... Just because there isn't "the party" making decisions in the US doesn't mean that there isn't a lot of flexibility in when and how the law is applied. It just gets left up to the local sheriff or prosecutors.
      - Eizieizz 7y ago
        Typical Wumao whataboutism! Even the best legal system is flawed because it is handled by humans. But that doesn't mean that the legal system in the facist dicatorship of China is comparable in any way to a proper democratic judiciary. Chinas system is an unconstitutional state by definition.
lvturner 7y ago
This isn't strictly true - https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3023081/china-plans-allow-foreign-investment-vpn-services-part https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3023081/c... It's also worth noting that a cellular connection that is roaming is not generally subject to the restrictions the firewall imposes.
- philliphaydon 7y ago
  It is strictly true. The law states: "illegal to access foreign internet without government permission first." The government opening up businesses to connect to services such as facebook or twitter to promote china businesses and so on is just the government giving permissions. But for the every-day citizen, the use of a VPN is technically illegal as it circumvents the law.
Markoff 7y ago
some VPNs are in theory legal, but you are right for 99.9% of Chinese population they are inaccessible and illegal people downvoting you are morons downvoting for technicality, while you are right

> As does any messenger through a VPN Except VPNs are illegal in china. If a site is banned in china. Using a VPN to circumvent the law is breaking the law. Email is not secure.

idra 7y ago

There is no such thing as "the law" in China. You may be imprisoned or disappeared if you didn't do anything to circumvent "the law", there are always undisclosed "relevant rules and regulations" ready to be unleashed. You can also carry out brazen illegal activities as long as you are well-connected (until you start stepping on toes of someone more well-connected than you). So what if email is insecure, neither is Wechat. And encrypted email is still a thing.

lazyasciiart 7y ago
It's easy to point to examples of all those things in the US. Both countries still have laws.
- 101404 7y ago
  You are wrong. There is a big difference between countries with independent judicial systems, and China where judges are below the local party secretary. Chinese laws are decoration. What actually counts is what the party decides.
  - lazyasciiart 7y ago
    Did you know that 95% of people convicted of a crime in the US were not convicted by that independent judicial system? https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/prisons-are-packed-because-prosecutors-are-coercing-plea-deals-yes-ncna1034201 https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/prisons-are-packed-bec... Just because there isn't "the party" making decisions in the US doesn't mean that there isn't a lot of flexibility in when and how the law is applied. It just gets left up to the local sheriff or prosecutors.
    - Eizieizz 7y ago
      Typical Wumao whataboutism! Even the best legal system is flawed because it is handled by humans. But that doesn't mean that the legal system in the facist dicatorship of China is comparable in any way to a proper democratic judiciary. Chinas system is an unconstitutional state by definition.

lvturner 7y ago

This isn't strictly true - https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3023081/china-plans-allow-foreign-investment-vpn-services-part https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3023081/c... It's also worth noting that a cellular connection that is roaming is not generally subject to the restrictions the firewall imposes.

philliphaydon 7y ago
It is strictly true. The law states: "illegal to access foreign internet without government permission first." The government opening up businesses to connect to services such as facebook or twitter to promote china businesses and so on is just the government giving permissions. But for the every-day citizen, the use of a VPN is technically illegal as it circumvents the law.

Markoff 7y ago

some VPNs are in theory legal, but you are right for 99.9% of Chinese population they are inaccessible and illegal people downvoting you are morons downvoting for technicality, while you are right