Google said on Monday the Chinese government is interfering with its Gmail services in China, making it difficult for users to gain access to its email program.
Gmail is very popular in China, but it’s unclear whether Google specifically is being targeted, or is being caught in a broader clampdown.
Google complained publicly last year about censorship and hacking in China, saying it would stop cooperating with requirements to filter its search results, and later moving its Chinese-language search services to Hong Kong to avoid Chinese government censorship requirements.
Google spokesperson said users in China have reported having problems with the email service since the end of January. This includes difficulty accessing the home page for Gmail and problems sending emails when logged into the email account. The instant messaging function is often not working as well.
Google officials said the blocking appears to be more sophisticated than other problems experienced by users in the past because the disruption is not a complete, but partial block.
