13,000 websites have been blocked in China since 2015

Almaty. December 25. Silkroadnews -  13,000 websites have been blocked in China since 2015, Rapler.com reports.
“China has shut down or revoked the licenses of 13,000 websites since 2015 for violating the country’s Internet rules. Platforms have also closed nearly 10 million Internet accounts for “violating service protocol””, the agency said.
It is noted that, despite the fact that China has the largest number of Internet users, in 2015 the American analytical center Freedom House ranked China one of the last places on Internet freedom in the list of 65 countries, placing it below Iran and Syria.
The agency reminds, this year China has adopted new rules saying foreign technical companies should store user data inside the country, introduce new restrictions on content and block using of software tools that allow users to bypass prohibitions.
Google, Facebook, Twitter and The New York Times are blocked in China, among countless other foreign websites.
Beijing strictly defends its “cyber-sovereignty”, explaining that the imposed restrictions known as “The Great Firewall” are required to protect its national security.
In China, websites must be officially registered and are responsible for “ensuring the legality of any information” posted on their platforms, in accordance with the rules in force since 2000. If the content does not comply with the law, the site owners can be fined and the site blocked.