Open Source VPNs Vs. The Great Firewall: China's Volunteer Programmers Fight for Internet Freedom

VPNs or Virtual Private Networks nowadays are getting popular because of their security features as well as bypassing geo blocking of online services. More often than not, the use of VPNs are seen as additional convenience for many users because of the many benefits it could give, especially on security and entertainment.

But what if a VPN is more than just a basic tool for online entertainment? This is the case of VPN use in China as internet users are limited from accessing websites and other online services unless they are approved by the government. According to the 2023 report by Freedomhouse.org, the country only scored 9 out of the possible 100 in three categories: Obstacles to Access, Limits on Content and Violation of User’s Rights. The website also noted that “conditions for internet users in China remained profoundly oppressive and confirmed the country’s status as the world’s worst abuser of internet freedom…”

Bypassing the restriction is no small feat and regular VPNs often do not work as the Chinese government is well aware of the role of VPN in protecting internet users’ online activities by hiding their IP addresses.

Volunteers and Open Source VPNs

Conquering the Great Firewall is never an easy task but there are groups of volunteers who make it their task to help others connect to the internet as freely as they can. According to a report by Al Jazeera groups of volunteers work tirelessly to maintain different types of open source VPNs and proxy servers - helping online users hide their IP addresses as well as visit websites they want to enjoy. It may not be seen as luxury in most countries, but citizens in Mainland China cannot access most Google services including YouTube as well as Facebook.

One of the most popular open source VPNs used to bypass the Great Firewall is V2Ray. Although this is not your “set it and forget it” VPN because of the additional technical knowledge it requires, it has been effective in helping those who want to access the internet while hiding their IP addresses. Volunteers who maintain this open source VPN are also in a constant cat-and-mouse game with the authorities who try to shut down their services.

Hiding your IP address through VPN should help you secure your online transaction and bypass geo restrictions. But for those in Mainland China, the use of VPNs and other proxy servers is freedom online.