A bit of back-story on how to access Facebook in China on iPad and iPhone
Facebook, just like other websites such as Twitter or YouTube, is a recent sensation when it came to social networking. There is no doubt about the fact that social networking through these websites has made this world a ‘global village’. With the invention of "smartphones", it's no wonder that these two go hand in hand. Who wouldn't want to catch up with their friends while waiting for a bus? Or spy on a ex-girlfriend by just turning on your phone? Or kill some time when the boss is out of the office? In fact, nowadays these websites and others (ie Hulu, Netflix, Pandora) simply cannot do stay in business without iPhone and Android apps available.
But, the fact remains that access to Facebook has been banned in China – whether on Mac, PC, or on mobile phones. China's still trying to "control" information, and the grass roots person to person exchange of information that social networking sites like Facebook make possible doesn't jive with their plan.
At the same time however, there are more and more Chinese users signing up for Facebook every year. Even more so than are on local copies like Ren Ren or Weibo. And anyone who's been to China knows that everyone who has $4,000 RMB to spare has an iPhone. So, can they access Facebook in China on iPhone? YES
So how do I unblock websites in China?
To unblock sites in China, we use web based proxies and virtual private networks. To access Facebook in China on iPad and iPhone in particular, we can only use web based proxies. Mobile devices like iPad, iPhone, Android Phones/tables, and other smartphones use PPTP or L2TP VPN. These are now blocked in China (since March 2011). Unfortunately, this means that in most cases, you can't use a VPN on your phone. While for some, it may be possible to make some modifications to allow the use of OpenVPN, such modifications may affect your warranty or other features of you phone.
Details about web based proxies
The use of web based proxies to access Facebook in China on iPad and iPhone is still going strong. Unlike VPNs, which need to be installed, web based proxies are accessed from your web browser. That means that as long as you can surf the web, you can find the secure link. Through the secure link, you're able to bypass Chinese firewalls, change your IP, and use a US or UK IP to surf the internet. This offers a number of advantages to users.
- You can access the link at work/school/home/on the go/at public places and no one will know
- You only have to pay for one license and you can use it anywhere
- All updates are taken care of by the proxy service
The main disadvantage of using this kind of proxy to unblock sites on your phone is that other apps you use will still use your Chinese IP. However, in China, we haven't got much of a choice now, do we? Through a web based proxy, because of the frequently changing IP address and lack of encryption/tunneling as with VPNs, you won't be able to access sites like Hulu or Netflix. Bummer.
Regardless of the disadvantages, for web browsing and streaming video, a web based proxy works great on iPhone and iPad. In particular, there's a service called SecuriTales that users in China prefer. Here are some things that make SecuriTales BETTER than other proxies in China.
It's not blocked!- There's a FREE TRIAL
- 30 day money back guarantee
- It's cheap ($6 USD = 36 RMB per month)
- It's fast enough to stream Youtube
- Can be used on iPhone, iPad, Android, and as well as all PC / Mac OS
- It's a professional, trusted service
Because a lot of proxies have been shut down by The GFW already, it's pretty hard to find any that work. It's even harder to find one you can trust, and almost impossible to get something cheap. That's why SecuriTales is so great. Remember that when you use a web based proxy, you're giving up your IP data. Are you using a service you can trust? Will they sell your IP data to spammers and hackers? Using a trusted proxy service to access Facebook in China on iPad and iPhone is KEY, not only to unblock sites, but also to keep you secure online.
Check out SecuriTales at www.securitales.com
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