back to article China crackdown: VPN vendor gets prison

A Chinese man has been sentenced to nine months in prison for helping his fellow citizens drill through the Great Firewall with virtual private networks. Guangdong province-dwelling 26-year-old Deng Jiewei started offering the VPN software on his Website in October 2015, according to a judgement posted by the Supreme People's …

  1. Anonymous Coward
    Pint

    Overplayed his hand?

    There are many Chinese people who managed to break through the great Chinese firewall and who didn't get into problems. I read stories about situations where local law enforcement is fully aware of some breaches but will simply tolerate it as long as it's not being (actively) "abused".

    And I think that's the main thing which got this guy taken out. It's one thing to breach the firewall, it's another to actively promote it and sell it as a service. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

    1. Mark 85

      Re: Overplayed his hand?

      Or.... he didn't pay the bribe...err.... fees to the appropriate authorities.

  2. macjules

    " ... in line with its policy of adhering to local laws."

    Those would include the 'normal' 12 hour days x 6 day weeks, double security checks, low wages, working environments that make McDonalds look benevolent, anti-suicide precautions (but only to prevent depressed workers falling into the machinery) and so on.

    1. Adam 52 Silver badge

      Re: " ... in line with its policy of adhering to local laws."

      Not sure who you are having a dig at, Apple or the Chinese government, but:

      Chinese Law limits the length of the working week to 5 days at 8 hours a day with a maximum 36 hours per month overtime. That's substantially better than the EU working time directive (48 hours/week over 17 weeks and which the UK allows employers to opt people out of by default).

      Health and Safety precautions and policies are mandatory, just as they are in the UK. And they have occasionally executed people for breaking them.

      There do seem to be some employers that allegedly flout the rules. You may be suggesting that Apple picks and chooses which laws to respect.

      1. msknight

        Re: " ... in line with its policy of adhering to local laws."

        > Health and Safety precautions and policies are mandatory, just as they are in the UK.

        Except when you're name is Foxconn? Come on... health and safety? In China?!?!?! Like in the wet markets where blood from the meat drips on to the street where fresh vegetables are being sold?

        1. Alister

          Re: " ... in line with its policy of adhering to local laws."

          Like in the wet markets where blood from the meat drips on to the street where fresh vegetables are being sold?

          I think you are confusing "health and safety" with "hygiene", not necessarily the same thing.

          Oh, and that sort of city bred do-gooding nitwittery caused our local grocers to have to stop hanging rabbits and pheasants outside their shop in case it upset the kiddiwinkies. Fuckwits.

      2. TheVogon

        Re: " ... in line with its policy of adhering to local laws."

        "Chinese Law limits the length of the working week to 5 days at 8 hours a day with a maximum 36 hours per month overtime.."

        So Chinese factories must use clocks running on Mercury time?

        1. I3N
          Coat

          Re: " ... in line with its policy of adhering to local laws."

          And on their days off, Chinese citizens are free to enjoy the benefits of Article 35 ... yeah, yeah, sure

    2. I3N
      Holmes

      Re: " ... in line with its policy of adhering to local laws."

      Yes in that environment makes sense that you order up a cup of

      “You are the Fattest”

      or

      “You don’t have nothing, you have a disease”

      or

      “Achieved-absolutely-nothing black tea”

      'Sang' tea.

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    "is in line with its policy of adhering to local laws."

    How about local tax laws?

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Cupertino explained is in line with its policy of adhering to local laws.

    imagine Apple store run in 3rd Reich... Portable (but of course) foreskin inspection app - FIVE STARS & awareded a "highly recommended by the Reichsministerium für Rassesaufklärung" moji. Hair-dye visualisation app (check which hair-style passes the "Aryan at first glance" test) - banned*

    *as per the policy of adhering to local laws

    (yes, I do love those ad hitlerums, totally irrelevant)

  5. ADC
    Big Brother

    Local tax laws are also highly regulated nowadays.

    If we take visitors to dinner, even in a local Chinese restaurant, the expenses receipt must be an official form, computer printed, and must include the VAT registration numbers for both the restaurant and our company. Otherwise no expenses claim...

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Now there's an idea

    Could someone get Amber Rudd on the phone please? I've got this great idea that will be right up her street...

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Prison for a VPN operator, May is probably licking her lips at the prospect. She'll need to get rid of that pesky ECHR first though eh? Oh that's right, we're all f#cked.

    Time to get the sneakernet laced up.

    1. Roj Blake Silver badge

      Re: that pesky ECHR

      You mean the ECHR that is not an EU thing and so not affected by Brexit?

      1. TheVogon

        Re: that pesky ECHR

        "You mean the ECHR that is not an EU thing and so not affected by Brexit?"

        Quite. It's not the ECHR that we need to get rid of, it's the CJEU. That's where most of the ridiculous decisions regarding rights have originated...

  8. Beach pebble
    Facepalm

    That firwall has some holes...

    Considering the sheer volume of port calling sh*t on a daily basis coming from Chinese IP's it would seem prudent if they actually sorted that out first. Somehow people using VPNs tend to do far less damage...

  9. A Nonny Moose
    Big Brother

    Coming Soon™ to a Britain near you!

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