Hello, fellow firewall-jumpers, and welcome to the very first issue of the Censorship Monthly Report.
I've been tracking GFW developments for years, but it was always scattered and ad hoc. Now that Russia's censorship has gone into overdrive too, I've decided to combine China and Russia into a single monthly "disaster briefing." Going forward, this will be a regular monthly update so you can stay on top of the global censorship landscape in one read.
Let's get straight to this month's highlights.
⏰ Information in this report is current as of April 11, 2026.
Monthly Summary
- China: Anti-fraud apps officially repurposed as circumvention surveillance — log into a foreign app and receive a verification code, police call the next day
- China: Starting April 1, data centers ordered to crack down on cross-border access — self-hosted circumvention servers at higher risk
- China: VPN detection patent (CN121691088A) enters substantive examination — automated detection getting closer
- Russia: Telegram blocking continues to expand, VPN demand surges 800%
- Russia: As of January this year, 439 VPN services blocked by RKN
China Updates
Anti-Fraud Apps: From Scam Prevention to Circumvention Surveillance
This is the most chilling news of the month.
According to Radio Free Asia's April 7 report, a user simply logged into a foreign app (Microsoft Teams) and received a verification code — the next day, they got a call from the local police station requesting they come in for an investigation. At the station, all the apps on their phone and their bank card numbers were documented.
In plain English: the anti-fraud app on your phone — the one originally meant to protect you from scams — may now be reporting whether you're using overseas services. You don't even need to be caught using a VPN; just receiving a verification code from an overseas service is enough.
This isn't an isolated incident but a systemic shift — anti-fraud infrastructure is being repurposed as a circumvention surveillance tool.
Data Center Crackdown on Cross-Border Access
Starting April 1, data centers across China received orders to strictly investigate "unauthorized cross-border access." Circumvention was explicitly listed as a violation requiring rectification, with non-compliant data centers facing permanent shutdown.
The biggest impact is on self-hosted circumvention users — even if your overseas server is still running, the domestic data center might pull the plug on your connection. This policy doesn't just target individuals; it also affects legitimate enterprise cross-border needs.
Draft Cybercrime Prevention Law Update
The Ministry of Public Security's draft Cybercrime Prevention Law, published at the start of the year, directly targets circumvention in Article 44:
- Individual fines up to 500,000 RMB + 15 days detention
- Organizational fines up to 5 million RMB + license revocation
- "Providing technical support or assistance" counts — sharing circumvention tutorials could be a criminal offense
The public comment period has ended, and the official version could be released within the year. For a legal deep-dive, see 👉 Is Using a VPN Illegal in China? Legal Risks Explained
VPN Detection Patent Enters Substantive Examination
Patent No. CN121691088A, filed by Fujian Zixun Information Technology, automatically detects whether a computer is running a VPN. Filed in October 2025, it has now entered substantive examination.
A patent doesn't equal deployment, but the direction is clear: future monitoring could expand from the network layer (blocking IPs and protocols) to endpoint device surveillance.
| Type |
Status |
One-line summary |
| Traditional VPN protocols (PPTP / L2TP / OpenVPN) |
🔴 Dead |
Don't bother |
| WireGuard |
🔴 Easily blocked |
Protocol signature too obvious |
| Basic encryption tools (older versions) |
🔴 Thoroughly researched |
GFW can precisely identify them |
| CDN-disguised tools |
🟡 Medium risk |
Must be properly configured |
| Next-gen encrypted disguise tools |
🟢 Most stable currently |
Traffic looks like normal HTTPS |
Bottom line: any tool without traffic disguise capabilities is essentially running naked in China in 2026.
For a more detailed technical analysis and breakdown of new GFW capabilities, see 👉 China's GFW in Q2 2026: The Great Firewall Upgraded
Russia Updates
Telegram Blocking Continues to Expand
Telegram was the last "free fortress" for Russians — but that fortress is falling.
Voice calls were blocked in August 2025, and broader restrictions began in February 2026. When the blocking news broke, VPN demand surged 800%. The Russian public's response is clear: you block yours, I'll bypass mine.
439 VPN Services Blocked
As of January 2026, RKN (Russia's Federal Communications Oversight Agency) has blocked 439 VPN services — a 70% increase from fall 2025. NordVPN, Surfshark, ProtonVPN, and other mainstream commercial VPNs have been almost entirely wiped out.
Between January and April 2025, 12,600 pieces of content "promoting VPNs" were removed — double the figure for all of 2024. Since September 2025, even VPN advertising has been banned.
AI Traffic Identification System
RKN has allocated 2.27 billion rubles (~$29 million) to develop an AI-driven traffic filtering system, with a total 2025-2027 budget of 60 billion rubles (~$780 million).
Once AI goes live, survival rates for traditional circumvention tools will drop another notch. OpenVPN and WireGuard are already being detected within 30 seconds in Russia.
Chain Reaction After WhatsApp Block
In February 2026, WhatsApp was completely blocked (voice calls had been blocked even earlier, in August 2025). Combined with Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube already being inaccessible, nearly every aspect of Russians' daily social life now requires a VPN.
The numbers: 36% of Russians regularly use a VPN, with about 60 million people knowing how to bypass censorship. That's three times China's rate.
For a more complete analysis of Russia, see 👉 Russia's Internet Censorship in 2026: From YouTube to Telegram
Other Regions in Brief
Iran: Maintains high-intensity internet censorship, with Instagram and WhatsApp as primary blocking targets. Domestic VPN usage estimated above 40%, though the government periodically deploys full internet shutdowns to suppress protests.
Myanmar: The military junta maintains broad social media blocks, with the Facebook ban still in effect. Internet quality is already poor, and censorship makes the online experience even worse.
This Month's Recommendations
Based on developments in China and Russia this month, here are some practical tips:
Whether you're heading to China or Russia, the App Store and Google Play have removed most VPNs in both countries. If you wait until you arrive, it's too late.
Traditional VPN protocols are dead in both countries. Only tools whose traffic "looks like normal web browsing" can function reliably.
3. China Users: Watch Out for Anti-Fraud Apps
If your phone has an anti-fraud app installed, be extra careful when using overseas services. This isn't to say you should delete it (that might draw even more attention) — just be aware that the risk exists.
4. Have At Least Two Backup Plans
Any single tool can be blocked at any time. Having a backup means you won't be completely cut off when it matters most.
5. Don't Share Circumvention Tutorials
Especially inside China — the draft Cybercrime Prevention Law lists "providing technical support or assistance" as a target. Use your tools quietly; a low profile is the best protection.
(Quick plug time. If you don't want to deal with researching all of this, Sunset Browser just works — open the app and connect with one tap, no configuration needed. Specifically optimized for high-intensity censorship environments. Tested and working in both China and Russia. Alright, plug over.)
VPN suddenly disconnected? Don't panic — check out 👉 VPN Not Connecting? Complete Troubleshooting Guide
FAQ
How often is this monthly report updated?
Once a month, with regular tracking of censorship developments in China and Russia. Special editions will be published for major breaking events (e.g., large-scale blocks, new laws taking effect).
Do China's anti-fraud apps really monitor circumvention?
Based on Radio Free Asia's April 7, 2026 report, users have been contacted by police after simply logging into foreign apps and receiving verification codes. While the anti-fraud app's official purpose is scam prevention, its surveillance capabilities are indeed being used to track overseas service usage.
Which is worse — Russia's VPN blocking or China's?
Technically, China is still ahead. The GFW has 20+ years of experience and far greater blocking precision. But Russia's investment is massive (three-year budget of $780 million), the pace of catching up is fast, and the approach is more aggressive — blocking VPNs has crashed banking systems. For a detailed comparison, see 👉 China vs Russia Firewall Comparison
Do traditional VPNs still work?
Basically not in either China or Russia. OpenVPN, WireGuard, PPTP, and other protocols have signatures that are too obvious and can be quickly identified by DPI (Deep Packet Inspection). Only tools using traffic disguise technology — making connections look like normal web browsing — can reliably bypass censorship.
What's the biggest risk of circumventing censorship right now?
In China, the biggest change is the escalation from "blocking tools" to "targeting people" — anti-fraud surveillance and the draft Cybercrime Prevention Law both point in this direction. In Russia, tools are being blocked at an accelerating rate (439 VPNs blocked and counting). The common trend: AI and automated detection are going live, and circumvention tools must update faster than blocking systems to survive.
Next Issue Preview
The May report will track:
- Whether China's Cybercrime Prevention Law gets formally enacted
- Whether Russia's Telegram block goes nationwide
- Actual deployment status of AI traffic identification systems
- Survival rate changes for tools in both countries
See you next month. ✌️
Written by Kai, updated monthly. Follow our Telegram channel to get notified when the next issue drops.
Further reading:
- 👉 China's GFW in Q2 2026: The Great Firewall Upgraded
- 👉 Russia's Internet Censorship in 2026: From YouTube to Telegram
- 👉 Best VPNs for China in 2026
- 👉 Is Using a VPN Illegal in China?