Opera upgrades browser to block Chinese users from Facebooking

BEIJING - Chinese Internet users would no longer be able to access Facebook, as the web browser Opera has upgraded its Chinese version closing a loophole that allowed users to access websites banned by the government.

Mobile users of the Opera Mini browser were asked to upgrade to a Chinese version at this weekend, BBC reports.

Opera confirmed that it had started directing users of the international version of the mobile browser to the Chinese version on 20 November.

“The difference between the Chinese and the international version is that the former connects to compression servers within China…..benefits are higher speed, lower costs and an overall improved mobile web browsing experience,” the firm said in a statement.

Earlier, traffic ran over Opera servers bypassing the so-called Great Firewall of China, making the browser popular with Chinese users.

The company was not prepared to discuss the “background for this decision”.

Chinese bloggers had a plenty of speculation on the firm’s decision.

“Let me guess what has happened here. The Chinese government has put pressure on Opera to close down that free access. And like most companies, they complied,” wrote blogger Carsten Ullrich. (ANI)