FACT CHECK: Are Zero US Social Media Platforms Banned In China?

A post shared on X claims that zero American social media platforms are banned in China.

Literally zero US social media companies are banned in China. https://t.co/3SspzT5HjW

— Nik Stankovic (@nikstankovic_) January 10, 2025

Verdict: False

American social media platforms are banned in China, though many get around the ban.

Fact Check:

TikTok is poised to be banned in the United States if the Supreme Court does not reverse the ban, according to The Hill. Congress passed a law that essentially ordered TikTok to divest from its Chinese-based parent company, ByteDance, or face the ban, per the outlet.

Social media users are claiming that no American social media company faces a ban in China. One user wrote, “Literally zero US social media companies are banned in China.”

This claim is false. Facebook and Twitter have been banned in China since 2009, according to Time. Instagram is blocked as well, per Vogue Business.

Many social media users in China get around the ban and blocking of these websites by using virtual private networks (VPNs) or downloading the app abroad, according to Vogue Business. There are an estimated 3.5 million Chinese Instagram users, per the outlet.

Long Advisory, a “communication and digital marketing agency operating in China,” notes that China “exercise oversight” through its Great Firewall.

“Chinese cyber authorities exercise oversight over online content, regulating, removing, or entirely prohibiting material that they deem detrimental to the nation’s interests and overall well-being. China’s Great Firewall restricts access also to international news sources such as BBC and The New York Times, as well as foreign web services including Facebook, Google, Instagram, Snapchat, and others,” their website states.