Police in China are increasing random phone searches for apps that bypass government internet censorship, according to residents interviewed by Radio Free Asia.
A resident of Sichuan province named Huang shared his experience of being stopped on the subway in Chengdu by a police officer who wanted to check his phone for these apps.
Huang refused, citing the lack of legal authority, and the officer backed off.
Since the 2022 protest movement blamed on foreign forces, Chinese authorities have been conducting similar checks on the streets and public transport, even making people download an anti-fraud app to monitor their phone usage.
Another resident from Jilin province named Zhang mentioned the need for secrecy to bypass the Great Firewall and the consequences of using circumvention tools.
Anyone summoned by state security police for questioning will have their phone checked, prompting many to delete such apps or reset their phones.
A phone repair specialist from Guangdong warned about the detection capabilities of the anti-fraud app authorized by the police, emphasizing the need for caution when trying to bypass the Great Firewall.
A screenshot from Hubei province showed a warning message from the police about circumvention tools detected on a phone, urging compliance with the Online Security Law.
Recent reports also highlighted disciplinary actions against students who violated online security regulations by bypassing the Great Firewall and sharing overseas content on social media.
China’s Cyberspace Administration has been cracking down on unapproved content, revoking website licenses and conducting interviews with thousands of individuals.
Translated by Luisetta Mudie.
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