Title: How the “Great Firewall of China” Works to Censor China’s Internet
Headings: How the “Great Firewall of China” Works to Censor China’s Internet
How the “Great Firewall of China” Works to Censor China’s Internet
What Is the Great Firewall of China?
Technical Tricks

Content: China doesn’t just block individual websites — they use techniques to scan URLs and web page content for blacklisted keywords like “Tiananmen” and block such traffic. By blocking foreign social networking sites like Twitter and forcing their citizens to use alternatives like Sina Weibo, China is able to control social-networking sites, gaining the ability to censor posts on them. China also hires people who are paid to post content favorable to Communist Party policy on the Internet, attempting to sway public opinion. The Great Firewall isn’t perfect — it’s impossible to really hold back information and censor everything, although China is certainly trying. From using unofficial terms that aren’t blocked — effectively speaking in code — to using VPNs to tunnel out of the firewall, even the most extensive Internet censorship regime can be bypassed. Technical Tricks
So just how is China censoring their Internet? Well, China controls the Internet gateways where traffic travels between China and the rest of the Internet. Through a combination of firewalls and proxy servers at these gateways, they can analyze and manipulate Internet traffic. China’s censorship isn’t completely transparent. For example, if you try to access a blocked website, you may not see a message informing you that the website has been locked.