WhatsApp blocked in China, though past bans proved temporary
WhatsApp has been widely blocked in mainland China by the country’s government, with text messaging as well as photo and video sharing not currently functional. However, WhatsApp had previously been blocked in the country and saw those blocks lifted within a few days, so it’s unclear how long the chat app may remain inaccessible. The New York Times reported today that WhatsApp had been “broadly disrupted in China.” TechCrunch has received reports that while many users lost access beginning Sunday night, some in mainland China can still send and receive WhatsApp messages. WhatsApp declined to comment on the blockage. WhatsApp’s ability to send videos, photos and files was blocked in China in July, but allowed again a few weeks later.  It’s possible that the shut down is in anticipation of the Communist Party’s congress to be held in Beijing next month. WhatsApp may have been targeted because of its strong encryption features lacked by services like Skype and Apple’s FaceTime ...