A Chinese app briefly gave the country’s internet users access to long-banned websites like Facebook and Google, setting off speculation about the future of Beijing’s censorship practices.
The Tuber browser, backed by Chinese cybersecurity giant 360 Security Technology Inc., appeared to provide the nation’s 904 million online users the ability to legally visit overseas websites and browse foreign social media. Chinese users hailed their newfound ability to peruse content from YouTube videos to Instagram photos without an illegal virtual private network, or VPN.
But the browser stopped functioning Saturday and disappeared from the mobile app store run by Huawei Technologies Co. It’s unclear whether a government agency had ordered its removal.
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