How to Access Reddit in China?

Hey. How can I access Reddit in China? I still could use it there last year. I had been there for one month. Reddit worked normally when I needed it for work. However, I couldn’t load it after I arrived at hotel yesterday evening. I assumed it has been censored. What happened to this service? It has escaped from the blocking for years. Why it is blocked this year? What’s the most effective way to unblock Reddit in China?

Can You Access Reddit in China?

Reddit is one of the most popular social media platforms. It bills itself as the “front page of the Internet.” It is a combination of a massive collection of forums. Every forum has different topics. On this great platform, users can share news and content or comment on other users’ posts. After someone creates a topic, all users can join and express their opinions. Internet news can be spread rapidly and widely via this platform. It is a great way to communicate with other users though they may not know each other or live in the same city. Users can make friends with other users who share the same opinion and hobby online easily. However, it is not that easy for users who live in mainland China because this platform became a new victim of the blocked services in this country. Reddit still can’t escape from the destiny of being blocked by the Great Firewall of China after those years. The Chinese ISP and servers won’t support you when you try to access Reddit. If you try to load Reddit in China, you only see an error page with a “This site can’t be reached,” message. No Reddit content will be showed. You may not be surprised as it is not the only social media platform that is blocked by the Chinese government. This country strictly regulates Internet traffic and has blocked many international websites and applications. With the crackdown of Reddit, users there have to turn to censorship bypassing technology. VPN is the most popular tool. It encrypts users’ online traffic and routes it via a remote server of users’ choosing so as to let you bypass the censorship successfully. You will be able to access Reddit in mainland China again.

Why is Reddit Blocked in China?

Some of you may wonder why China chose to block Reddit this year. Other famous social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram etc. have been blocked for years while Reddit survived until it has been blocked completely in 2018. Did something big happen to this social media platform? What triggered the blocking of Reddit? So far, the Chinese government has no response regarding the block. Some users assume that the block has something to do with the start of a UN panel discussion on China’s draconian security crackdown in the western region of Xinjiang. This topic had generated a surge in discussions with thousands of comments. As Reddit can spread news and topics quickly with the large number of users, the Chinese government might concern that the topic could provoke Chinese users into creating riots. In the past, several riots were caused by the uncontrolled discussions on western social media platforms. Those riots and protests brought big trouble and bad effect on the Chinese government. They still remain sensitive topics in China currently. As the government can’t control the information flow on Reddit, they choose to block Reddit completely to prevent any potential “threat”. Therefore, you won’t be able to access Reddit directly in mainland China. Extra tool is needed to overcome the censorship.

How Does Firewall Block Reddit?

China has one of the strictest internet censorship in the world. The Chinese government has developed the most powerful and advanced firewall on the earth. They created the Golden Shield Project. The Great Firewall of China is the most important part of the project. It has blocked millions of websites and applications. How does the firewall block so many websites accurately? The firewall uses complicated technology to perform the task.

One of the well-known methods used by the Chinese firewall is DNS hijacking or DNS redirection. The firewall corrupts the resolution of DNS queries by overriding a PC’s TCP/IP configuration to point at a fake DNS server or modifying the behavior of a trusted DNS server to make it fail to comply with Internet standards. In this way, you only get error page when loading Reddit page. The firewall also uses IP address blocking to achieve the strict censorship. It can block access to certain IP addresses. As the firewall blocks access to the IP address of Reddit’s servers, users with Chinese IP addresses who try to access Reddit will be disconnected immediately.

Besides, the firewall uses filter to block any content they consider as “harmful.” It is able to scan URLs and block connections that include sensitive information on China. Lots of domains, URLs and key words etc. are added in the system of firewall. Every time you try to access the blocked websites, it detects your request and blocks your connection keenly. Therefore, you won’t be able to load Reddit website no matter how great your network is or how many times you refresh the page. To circumvent the firewall and unblock Reddit in China, you need a powerful and reliable tool.

How to Access Reddit in China?

Since the Chinese firewall is so powerful, is it still possible to access Reddit in China? Yes, it is possible. All you need is a strong VPN. VPN is not the only way to bypass the firewall, but it is the most secure and effective way. The firewall will block you when you try to access Reddit or other blocked websites with a China-based IP address. You need to hide the fact that you are located in China and access websites that are on the list of the firewall. A VPN will enable you to mask your IP address which is your online identity and reveals your location. It encrypts your connection to the Internet to stop others from monitoring what you do online. A collection of worldwide servers are offered. The VPN creates a private and encrypted “tunnel” between your device and one of their remote servers. Others can’t decode your traffic. After you select a server location, you will appear to be connecting from one IP address from that location. This helps you increase security and get around the geographic restrictions. The firewall won’t censor Internet request sent from outside mainland China. You can get rid of the strict censorship effectively.

Why is VPN the Best Way?

Some of you may use proxy sites or Tor browser to unblock Reddit in China. They do help in bypassing geographic restrictions and unblocking restricted content. Why is VPN the first choice for unblocking Reddit in China? The Great Firewall of China is much more powerful than you can image. It not only blocks websites and apps, but also blocks tools that are used to bypass censorship. Proxy sites can help you get around the firewall, but they are not powerful enough to give you stable connection. They work greatly in other countries, but things are different in this country. There are so many Internet limits and tough barriers. Proxy sites can be found and blocked by the firewall soon. Tor browser is another option to unblock restricted websites while it offers slow connection. Besides, you only can unblock Reddit on Tor browser instead of your favorite one like Chrome, Safari or Firefox.

If you look forward to have great experience on Reddit just like how you do in your own country, a VPN is necessary. The VPN providers utilize advanced technology to secure your connection. Special tunnel and protocols are created to circumvent the firewall. They invest in improving and expanding their network. The worldwide servers are fast and secure. Leading VPN providers offer servers in different cities & countries across several continents. You have lots of options to mask your IP address and location. After you install a VPN, you can unblock Reddit on any browser you like. You also can use Reddit app to share news and comment others’ posts. The VPN app encrypts all traffics from your device. You can access Reddit and other blocked services on any device at any time. Get a VPN to encrypt your connection and hide your IP address. It will help you get around Chinese Internet restrictions and access Reddit and other webpages & apps that are blocked.

Things You Need to Know When Using Reddit & VPN in China

Using VPN in China is not as easy as you do in the US or UK. To control the information flow, the Chinese government also blocks VPN to prevent people from accessing blocked websites. Many VPNs have been blocked by the firewall. Therefore, it is very necessary to pick the right VPN for China. For now, many VPNs have been disabled by the firewall. Some VPNs still can bypass the firewall while their websites are blocked. You can’t access their website to download VPN client or set up VPN after you arrive in mainland China. Some advanced VPNs can bypass the firewall stably and their websites can be accessed directly. ExpressVPN is the good example. It offers superfast and secure connection. It has been the most popular tool to bypass the powerful firewall. We also suggest you install and set up VPN before you fly to China. You will have more options. If you are not sure which VPN works in China, you can confirm the information by reading VPN reviews. That will ensure everything goes well after you arrive in China.

In China, the Internet connection has been controlled strictly. Connection becomes obviously slow after 8 PM (Beijing time). To ensure you have pleasure experience on Reddit, you need to pick VPN that offers fast connection. You won’t want to wait for a long time to load a forum. If the provider offers server locations in Asia, it will be better. It will reduce latency when you are connected to server that is close to the mainland China. Servers in Japan, Singapore and Hong Kong are the recommended ones. Some users wonder it is necessary to invest a VPN on accessing blocked websites in China. On one hand, most free VPNs come with limited features. They are not equipped with needed technologies to defeat the most advanced firewall. On the other hand, free VPNs can be used to collect your browsing histories and other personal information to generate revenue. It is not worth to risk your precious privacy for using a VPN for free.

Many users ask if it is legal to use Reddit or VPN in China. Though Reddit is blocked by the firewall, there is no law to state that it is illegal to use Reddit. So far, no one has been accused of using VPN or blocked websites. As the government, universities, enterprises and more parties need to communicate with their cooperating parties smoothly, it is impossible for China to block western websites and VPNs completely. It’s not illegal to use VPN to unblock Reddit in China. As long as you don’t use VPN to perform illegal activities, you won’t get trouble. Don’t try to use Reddit to spread sensitive information about China via a VPN. Otherwise, you can attract Chinese government’s attention and your IP address may be blocked.

Best VPNs for China or Other Prohibited Countries

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NordVPN:

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Conclusion(How to Access Reddit in China)

In those years, China has tightened its ideological control and further limited access to global network. Facebook, Google and YouTube are the first services that are blocked by the firewall. More and more websites have been added on the blocked list. Almost all of western social media platforms get blocked for increasing popularity. The firewall will immediately disconnect you once it detects your location in China and Internet request to blocked websites and apps. Reddit won’t load without VPN in mainland China. You need to encrypt your online traffic and hide your IP address. That’s how a VPN helps. The VPNs encrypt all your connections to the Internet and channel them via a private server in a location you choose. You only need to install the VPN client and select a server location where Reddit is available. You will get a temporary IP address that is shared by many users across the world. The remote server, shared IP address and encrypted traffic will enable you to escape China’s censorship and access Reddit. The smart VPN servers and protocols will disguise your activities to avoid VPN blocking. Remember to pick the VPN that is optimized for China. Due to the complicated network, a strong and smart VPN is needed to bypass the complicated firewall. Connect to the closest server location to mainland China for the best possible connection. You can use Reddit freely in the same way how you do at your hometown. VPNs also help you unblock Google, YouTube, Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and more popular services. They also are great tool to protect privacy and safeguard confidential information on the Internet. Want secure, private, fast and unlimited Internet experience in China? Still trying to unblock Reddit in China? Grab a solid VPN and you will get what you want.

Submitted by Josh M. Grove November 16, 2018