GUANGZHOU, China — Apple's new feature designed to give users more privacy when browsing the web will not be available in China, one of the iPh

Apple's new privacy feature, designed to mask users' internet browsing, won't be available in China

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2021-06-09 15:30:06

GUANGZHOU, China — Apple's new feature designed to give users more privacy when browsing the web will not be available in China, one of the iPhone maker's most important markets.

Apple revealed a new service called iCloud+ at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on Monday. One of the features included in that is "Private Relay."

When users browse the internet using Safari, their data will be sent through two separate servers in order to mask the user's identity and what sites they are visiting. As a result, even Apple or the user's network provider cannot see that data.

It's a little like a virtual private network (VPN) where users can route their internet traffic through a server located somewhere else in the world to mask their browsing activity.

China so-called Great Firewall effectively allows authorities to block websites from being accessed within China including Google and Facebook. VPNs are often used to get around China's strict internet controls.