Why Facebook Is Banned in China & How to Access It

China’s “Great Firewall” is a disruptor in the social media sector

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Kristina Zucchi
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Kristina Zucchi is an investment analyst and financial writer with 15+ years of experience managing portfolios and conducting equity research.
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Updated December 31, 2021
Reviewed by Julius Mansa
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Katrina Munichiello
Katrina Avila Munichiello
Fact checked by Katrina Munichiello
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Katrina Ávila Munichiello is an experienced editor, writer, fact-checker, and proofreader with more than fourteen years of experience working with print and online publications.

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Facebook has more than 2.8 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

  • The 'Great Firewall' in China 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.
  • Meanwhile, homegrown services such as TikTok, WeChat, Sina Weibo, and Tencent QQ flourish under the watchful eye of government censors.
  • Despite the ban, 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 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 and keyword filtering, censoring social media, and arresting content posters who 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, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Yahoo, Slack, and YouTube.

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 Permission to run the start-up was quickly withdrawn.

Despite not being able to operate in China, Meta derives significant revenue from the country. In its 2020 annual report, 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.

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

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), and 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 600 million daily 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 (VPN) 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.

The Future of Facebook in China

The Great Firewall prevents U.S. internet companies from establishing a foothold in China. Mark Zuckerberg, the chief executive officer 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
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  1. Facebook. "2020 Annual Report," Page 52.

  2. Facebook. "2020 Annual Report," Page 34.

  3. TechCrunch. "China Blocks Access To Twitter, Facebook After Riots."

  4. Committee to Protect Journalists. "10 Most Censored Countries."

  5. Congressional-Executive Commission on China. "Agencies Responsible for Censorship in China."

  6. KPMG. "Overview of China's Cybersecurity Law," Page 4.

  7. Council on Foreign Relations. "Media Censorship in China."

  8. New York Times. "Facebook Gains Status in China, at Least for a Moment."

  9. Pivotal Research Group. "Ad Market: Updating 2018 Forecast to +4.8% Underlying Growth," Page 1.

  10. The New York Times. "How Facebook’s Tiny China Sales Floor Helps Generate Big Ad Money."

  11. Reuters. "ByteDance's Chinese Version of TikTok Hits 600 Million Daily Users."

  12. Asia Media Centre. "A Guide to Digital Security for Reporters in Asia."

  13. The New York Times. "Chinese Hackers Circumvent Popular Web Privacy Tools."

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