Coexisting New and Old Technology
Technology plays a significant role in daily Shanghai living. The most important thing to know when coming to China, is that most of the commonly used apps and websites we visit in America are blocked by a government issued firewall. These sites include Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google, Wikipedia, and YouTube.
Internet censorship isn’t something the government has outright confessed to doing, but China has been able to create their own versions for what is unavailable. For instance Didi is a ride share app that’s comparable to Uber and Baidu Maps serves as an equal to Google Maps.
Another option that many Chinese companies and residents choose to do is to purchase a VPN subscription to enable open accessibility to the internet. The extra expense of $10.00 a month for a VPN is a must for any American trying to stay connected abroad.
Another interesting aspect of technology in China is the app WeChat. WeChat basically combines the functions of most of the apps we already have in the US in one place. On just this one app you can pay for things directly from your bank account, send messages, make phone calls, post pictures similar to instagram, and send your location to friends.
On campus, you have similar access to things like printers and computers like the US. However, throughout Shanghai, you’ll find numerous examples of how old and new technology exist side by side.
