A programmer residing in northern China recently faced a substantial monetary penalty, believed to be one of the most severe individual financial sanctions ever imposed to bypass China’s formidable “great firewall.”
Details about the Penalty
Ma received a penalty notification from the public security bureau in Chengde, a city in Hebei province, on the 18th of August.
This official notice asserted that Mr. Ma had utilized “unauthorized channels” to establish connections with international networks to work for a Turkish company.
Law enforcement authorities confiscated the sum of 1.058 million yuan (£120,651) that Ma had earned during his tenure as a software developer, spanning from September 2019 to November 2022, categorizing these earnings as “illegitimate income.”
Furthermore, he was subjected to a fine of 200 yuan (£23).
What does Ma has to say?
Ma recounted that the initial encounter with the authorities transpired approximately a year prior, under the suspicion that he was the proprietor of a Twitter account currently under investigation.
Ma clarified that the Twitter account did not belong to him and highlighted that his engagement with the account was limited to occasionally liking and retweeting his overseas employer’s tweets.
Is this fair?
His communication equipment, comprising his phone, laptop, and multiple computer hard drives, were seized by the authorities for a duration of one month.
He was asked to provide comprehensive details about his employment, financial information, and contractual agreements.
The punitive penalty was officially delivered to Ma in August. He intends to retain legal counsel and lodge an appeal against this decision.
What do Authorities Believe?
The co-founder of GreatFire.org, a platform that closely monitors internet censorship within China, remarked,
“Even if this judgment is overturned through legal proceedings, a clear message has been transmitted, and consequential harm has been incurred. Is conducting international business now subject to punitive measures?”
VPNs assist people in China by
- masking the actual location of their devices, which exist in a legal gray area within China.
- Commercial entities are permitted to utilize government-sanctioned VPNs for legitimate purposes.
- Businesses and educational institutions commonly rely on VPN technology to facilitate communication with international counterparts.
Do You Think the Chinese Government Doesn’t Value VPNs?
Historically, the government has adopted a permissive stance toward the limited number of individuals employing VPNs to access websites like Google, Facebook, Twitter, and, occasionally, explicit content.
Recently, the government has intensified efforts to restrict VPN access, occasionally resorting to punitive measures.
What Ma has to say?
Mr. Ma confirmed that his VPN usage was primarily for participating in Zoom meetings, as most of his professional responsibilities utilize platforms such as GitHub.
Do We Have Free Digital Rights?
The news raises thought-provoking questions about the delicate balance between individual digital freedom and state-imposed internet regulations.
On the one hand, it highlights the Chinese government’s persistent efforts to control and monitor internet access, particularly with VPN technology, which has been essential for businesses and individuals seeking open access to the global internet.
On the other hand, it focuses on the potential economic and innovation implications of such strict regulations.
In an increasingly interconnected world, the ability to freely access information, communicate with international partners, and engage in a global marketplace is crucial for economic growth and innovation.
This incident shed light on how regulations may impact China’s IT industry and its attractiveness to international businesses.
It also underscores the ongoing global debate on the balance between cybersecurity and personal freedoms and how the outcome of such deliberations can shape the digital landscape, not only in China but worldwide.
Tell us what you feel about it in the comment section below.
Anas Hasan
October 12, 2023
2 years ago
