‘360 Security’ Created a Web Browser That Legally Bypasses the “Great Firewall”

• Chinese cybersecurity company released a web browser to help users access banned websites in the country.
• The browser required identity declaration and still censors some results on the accessed platforms.
• Users who still access or share something they know they shouldn’t have will get into trouble.

Internet users in China are limited by the government-imposed “Great Firewall,” which blocks popular social media platforms and websites on the ISP level. Some risk it by using VPN tools, most of which are also considered illegal in the country.

A new and more user-friendly solution just came from ‘360 Security,’ a cybersecurity company based in China, who has introduced a web browser which allegedly bypasses Beijing’s Great Firewall in a way that doesn’t break the law. As a result, users may access Google, Facebook, the New York Times, YouTube, Instagram, and other blocked sites without fearing prosecution.

The browser is named “Tuber,” and people are requested to enter their mobile phone number to use it. This is requested to officially declare their identity, as phone numbers in China are distributed after the associated identity verification. The catch with Tuber is that people will still get censored results on the platforms mentioned above, so not all content will be accessible. Certainly, something is better than nothing, but Tuber is far from being a definitive solution for the country’s 900 million netizens.

Related: How to Use a VPN in China Without Breaking the Law – Updated Report for 2020!

‘360 Security’ is not going against the local regulations, but instead, their product is fully compliant with the regime’s demands. Thus, Tuber is meant to help reduce the use of illegal VPN tools in China by offering at least partial access to the banned platforms. It’s like getting a glimpse of what’s going on beyond the Great Firewall, while also accepting that the company (and the authorities) will track your browsing activities and searches.

The terms make it clear that if the user engages in illegal activities like watching or sharing content that breaches the constitution, endangers national security and sovereignty, spreads rumors, disrupts social orders, or violates other local laws, according to the app’s terms of service, they will get suspended. Additionally, the relevant authorities will be notified, and the user’s identification details and browsing history will be passed to them.

This tells us that the sheer size of the opened-up platforms is pretty hard to control and censor with automated tools, as the volume of content that gets uploaded there every second is just ridiculously high. Thus, Tuber may inadvertently allow users to access something they shouldn’t be able to, but this still won’t constitute an excuse for the users.