Table of Contents

Why Facebook Is Banned in China and How to Access It

China’s so-called Great Firewall is a disruptor in the social media sector

By

Kristina Zucchi

Updated December 31, 2021

Reviewed by Julius Mansa

Fact checked by

Katrina Munichiello

Facebook has more than 2.96 billion monthly active users worldwide, but virtually no footprint in China. That’s because the service, the parent company of which is now known as Meta (META), is banned in that country along with many other global social media providers. The Chinese government controls internet content and restricts, deletes, or bans content it deems is not in the interest of the state. That roster has grown into a long list of companies.

Key Takeaways

China's Great Firewall prevents internet users from viewing or posting socially or politically sensitive content.
The Great Firewall targets many foreign internet companies, sites, and services in particular.
Facebook is blocked in China, and the parent company Meta's efforts to court China have been rebuffed.
Homegrown services such as TikTok, WeChat, Sina Weibo, and Tencent QQ flourish under the watchful eye of government censors.
There are a few ways to access Facebook and other blocked sites in China, like VPNs and proxy websites.

Timeline of Actions

Chinese authorities blocked Facebook along with Twitter (now X) and Google services in July 2009 following riots in Xinjiang, a special autonomous region in western China. The crackdown was aimed at curtailing communications among independence activists.

China is considered to have one of the most extensive and sophisticated censorship regimes in the world. Dubbed the Great Firewall, a number of methods are employed to control online expression, including website blocking, keyword filtering, censoring social media, and arresting content posters that broach sensitive or political issues.

A host of government agencies wield authority over the internet in China, such as the Central Propaganda Department and the Ministry of Public Security. In 2014, the government established the Cyberspace Administration of China as the main body for internet censorship in China.

The Great Firewall prevents users from accessing foreign news sites such as the BBC, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal, among others. Foreign web services that are blocked include Facebook, Google, X, Instagram, Snapchat, Yahoo, Slack, and YouTube.

Macau and Hong Kong, China's special administrative regions have access to Facebook as they operate under the Chinese mantra of One Country, Two Systems.

In 2018, Facebook attempted to set up a $30 million subsidiary in Hangzhou to incubate startups and give advice to local businesses. Permission to run the startup was quickly withdrawn.

Despite not being able to operate in China, Meta derives significant revenue from the country. The company said it generated "meaningful revenue from a limited number of resellers representing advertisers based in China." Pivotal Research Group estimated that number to be $5 billion. Meet Social, a Shenzhen-based advertising reseller, said it would place between $1 billion and $2 billion in advertising on Facebook and Instagram in 2019.

Who Is Successful in Chinese Social Media?

While the Great Firewall has kept foreign internet companies at bay, homegrown companies have been allowed to flourish. Some of the larger players include:

E-commerce retailers Alibaba (BABA) and JD.com (JD)
Search engine Baidu (BIDU)
Micro-blogging service Sina Weibo (WB)

Tencent QQ and WeChat are popular messaging apps similar to WhatsApp, while Tudou and Youku are China's version of YouTube.

Some Chinese internet companies have enjoyed considerable success abroad. Beijing-based ByteDance runs the short-form video app TikTok, estimated to have 1.6 billion users worldwide.

In addition to being banned in China, Facebook is also blocked in North Korea and Iran.

How to Access Facebook in China

Despite the ban, there are a few ways to access Facebook and other blocked sites in China. Below are three options:

Virtual private networks are indispensable to travelers and foreigners living in China. Though VPNs are sometimes blocked and difficult to use, foreigners report they remain available. It is suggested you secure several VPN subscriptions before entering China, and always assume traffic is being monitored.
A proxy website is another option, though these can also be monitored.
Tor helps users to surf the internet anonymously. However, hackers in China have found ways to prevent users from accessing the network.

Why Did China Ban Facebook?

Facebook is just one of the sites and social media platforms banned by the Chinese government. China controls the content that goes on the internet. As such, it makes decisions on what sites are allowed. Any content that the government considers against the state is banned, deleted, or restricted.

Can I Use Facebook in China?

You can't use Facebook or any other site banned by the Chinese government the same way you can in other parts of the world. But there may be workarounds to what is commonly called the Great Firewall, including virtual private networks or VPNs. You should get a few VPN subscriptions before you go to China if you want to access the social media platform. You may also want to consider using a proxy website or Tor, which is a commonly used open-source software. Keep in mind that your internet use may be monitored.

What Do VPNs Do?

Virtual private networks or VPNs are connections that are established between a user's computer and a VPN provider's remote server. It encrypts the user's data and hides their IP address. People who use VPNs can often go over firewalls to access blocked and banned websites.

The Bottom Line

The Great Firewall prevents U.S. internet companies from establishing a foothold in China. Mark Zuckerberg, the chief executive officer (CEO) of Meta, has made several high-profile visits to China, with little progress. The site has been blocked since 2009, though Facebook still manages to earn some revenue via advertising reseller networks. As long as strict controls remain in place, it appears Facebook and others will remain on the sidelines.

Article Sources

Investopedia requires writers to use primary sources to support their work. These include white papers, government data, original reporting, and interviews with industry experts. We also reference original research from other reputable publishers where appropriate. You can learn more about the standards we follow in producing accurate, unbiased content in our editorial policy.

Meta. "FORM 10-K," Page 56.
Meta. "FORM 10-K," Page 32.
Meta. "FORM 10-K," Page 37.
TechCrunch. "China Blocks Access To Twitter, Facebook After Riots."
Committee to Protect Journalists. "10 Most Censored Countries."
Congressional-Executive Commission on China. "Agencies Responsible for Censorship in China."
KPMG. "Overview of China's Cybersecurity Law," Page 4.
Council on Foreign Relations. "Media Censorship in China."
New York Times. "Facebook Gains Status in China, at Least for a Moment."
Pivotal Research Group. "Ad Market: Updating 2018 Forecast to +4.8% Underlying Growth," Page 1.
The New York Times. "How Facebook’s Tiny China Sales Floor Helps Generate Big Ad Money."
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Meta. "FORM 10-K," Page 36.
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The New York Times. "Chinese Hackers Circumvent Popular Web Privacy Tools."

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