Google's Gmail is one of the most popular and used email service by individuals and companies around the world, though, reports emerging the World Wide Web that the said email platform is being banned in China, Reuters reports.
It can be recalled that Gmail, along with other Google services such images, search, translate, has been banned since June 2014. The popular email service can only be accessed with the use of third party email applications such Outlook and Apple Mail (via IMAP/POP3/SMAP).
Now, even these IMAP/POP3/SMAP protocols were totally blocked in China, leaving users a headache for not being able to access important emails. China-based advocacy group GreatFire said that large portion of Google's web addresses and IP addresses were blocked in China on Friday and is said to still inaccessible on Monday.
It is worthy to note that China has a full control on the country's internet and is hosting a censorship mechanism known to many as the "Great Firewall of China," in which, is said to be blamed for Google services disruptions.
As cited by GreatFire.org member, real-time Google's Transparency Report shows a decline on its services in China. This move by China may totally eliminate Google to provide its services to the country and its people. This move clearly contradicts what the Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Hua Chunying said that they are committed and supportive in doing business with foreign investors.
She said she has no idea about Gmail being banned and cited that "China has consistently had a welcoming and supportive attitude towards foreign investors doing legitimate business here. We will, as always, provide an open, transparent and good environment for foreign companies in China."
It is known to many that China has a large number of populations which makes sense that Google wants a wider and larger presence within the said country. But is seems that the tech giant have been singled out as other companies such Microsoft and Yahoo has not experienced any disruptions on its services.
