The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is tightening its control over citizens’ internet use. Recently, a netizen posted on a forum that a university classmate was asked by the police station to cooperate with an investigation for “bypassing the firewall.” The classmate had merely received a verification code while logging into Microsoft Teams, sparking widespread attention.
According to screenshots shared by X account moderator “Teacher Li Is Not Your Teacher,” on April 5, a netizen posted on Reddit: “A university classmate was summoned by the police for bypassing the firewall.” The specific situation was that he received a verification code when logging into Teams, and the next day, the police station called him, asking whether he had downloaded the “fraudulent software Teams,” and requested that he come in for questioning.
After going to the police station, the classmate found that the police anti-fraud system indicated he had received a verification code from an “overseas fraudulent application.” The police then photographed and recorded all the apps on his phone and his bank card numbers, uploading the information to an internal system. The classmate was worried that records of purchasing a VPN subscription might be discovered, and that all future firewall-bypassing activities and financial transactions could be monitored.
In response, Mr. Hao, a scholar from Wuhan, told Radio Free Asia: “The current situation has already extended from internet access to personal devices and account information. Many actions that were originally just technical operations, once brought under management, are treated as a basis for law enforcement. This approach gradually links internet usage with personal identity. Once the data is recorded in the system, it becomes very straightforward to track down individuals afterward.”
A Chinese legal professional, who requested anonymity for personal safety reasons, also stated: “Checking someone else’s phone and deleting VPN software are, in themselves, acts of search. Searches should require authorization from the head of the public security bureau.”
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Recently, multiple cases have emerged across different areas of Hubei where internet users were investigated or penalized by police for using VPNs to access overseas websites. Similar enforcement practices have been repeated in different regions. According to information released on Hubei’s public security law enforcement disclosure platform, on Jan. 28, a man surnamed Shi in Xiaogan was investigated after using a VPN to access overseas websites. More than ten police officers were dispatched to his residence, and he was subsequently ordered to stop accessing the internet and fined 500 yuan as an administrative penalty.
Breaching the firewall
On March 8 at around 5:00 p.m., a man surnamed Xu in Ezhou used a Honor smartphone at home to bypass internet restrictions and browse overseas websites, including platforms such as X and TikTok. The report stated that Xu violated relevant regulations and admitted his actions during the investigation. He was given a warning, fined 200 yuan, and ordered to cease internet access.
Mr. Li, an engineer specializing in cybersecurity technologies, told Radio Free Asia: “Based on these two recent cases, such practices are increasing, indicating that bypassing internet restrictions is no longer just a technical limitation issue.”
China’s newly revised Cybersecurity Law, which came into effect on Jan. 1, 2026, has significantly strengthened regulation over cross-border internet access, with related measures gradually extending to the corporate sector.
In response, some netizens warned: “Those inside the firewall must immediately use two phones and physically separate them. The situation is very urgent—VPN networks have been very unstable lately.” “It’s not the software that commits fraud, it’s people—why not say WeChat is fraudulent software when scams happen there?” “The situation inside the firewall is getting more and more severe!” “Building the firewall is illegal; bypassing it is not! Tear down the Great Firewall so Chinese people can connect with the world!”
Another user, “Erka,” commented: “China has become a country capable of 100 percent monitoring its own citizens. People cannot obtain any free information from abroad, and even foreigners entering China are forced to have their phones inspected. This is no longer just authoritarianism—it’s an evil force reshaping global order. Using Teams to bypass restrictions leads to police questioning, and anti-fraud systems have become tools for comprehensive surveillance. Such a ‘great power’ is dragging the world into darkness.”
