China was a country that Facebook could not dominate. Unlike in Canada, you wouldn’t see people there constantly checking their news feed or posting statuses about how they’re feeling. It was censored. The Communist Part of China, with the purpose of ‘safety’ and ‘security’, had blocked access to Facebook and other social networking sites like Twitter. However, this is all about to change. Due to the constraints foreigners have when visiting China, they plan to unblock these sites in the Shanghai Free Trade Zone. What does this mean for Facebook and Twitter? I see an image of directors cheering, but also hustling. With a sudden surge of Facebook users, the IT Department must be able to hold up to the demands. If they are able to do this, they have won the lottery. This step made by the Communist Party shines light on that censorship might also be decreased in other areas as the country develops and welcomes more foreigners. This external opportunity is one that Facebook must seize. This may be the chance for them to bounce back from recent negativity about the effectiveness of Facebook advertisements.

There are many other variables that can be overlooked with this event. One of them includes that QQ, the most visited social networking site in China, may be threatened. It is just the Shanghai FTZ that is unblocking Facebook and Twitter, but this change may make a huge difference. Soon, as western sites gain more access, QQ and other Chinese sites may be struggling for survival.

If you’re interested, check the article out!
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/china-allow-facebook-twitter-access-635027