BBC recommends VPNs after China block

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New HTTPS guidelines saw BBC hit by the Great Firewall

(Image credit: BBC)

The BBC has recommended Chinese users employ a VPN after its website was blocked in the country.

The move came after the BBC looked to increase its website's security by changing its addresses from HTTP to HTTPS. 

However the move has fallen foul of Chinese censors, with all BBC News pages blocked in the country over the past week.

BBC China VPN

China frequented blocks encrypted sites, such as those safeguarded with HTTPS, as it is unable to to vet the content of them.

The BBC has now issued a statement, recommending that viewers in China either use a VPN service or an app such as Psyphone which gets around the firewall.

"We regret this loss of service," a BBC spokesperson said. "We continue to work with local service providers so that specific BBC content can be made directly available to our audience in China."

The BBC was previously blocked in China was in 2014, and also called on "all parties" to observe Article 19 of the UN Declaration of Human Rights, which states that everybody has the right to freedom of opinion and expression and the right to receive and impart information.

Mike Moore
Mike Moore
Deputy Editor, TechRadar Pro

Mike Moore is Deputy Editor at TechRadar Pro. He has worked as a B2B and B2C tech journalist for nearly a decade, including at one of the UK's leading national newspapers and fellow Future title ITProPortal, and when he's not keeping track of all the latest enterprise and workplace trends, can most likely be found watching, following or taking part in some kind of sport.