What Website Owners Need to Know: Countries Where Your Sites Will Most Likely Be Banned
If you are the proud owner of a website with the intent to reach as many people as possible, you need to know that there are countries that are just not worth catering to because your site will most likely get banned and never reach its intended audience. Some of the more infamous examples include:
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia is a rich country and its people have access to computers and the Internet, so it seems like a prime target if your site is monetized. However, you might find the battle to be somewhat akin to skating uphill as the country is still governed by laws that are rooted in religion and tradition. Communication is closely monitored, including Internet access. So if your site is hosted elsewhere and could promote values that run counter to their laws or religion, your site will get blocked.
Cuba
Home to Cuban cigars and usually portrayed as a top holiday destination (particularly by wealthy celebrities,) Cube seems like it’s full of people who would be willing to look at commercial websites and maybe spend a little bit here and there. Even if there are people like that in Cuba, your site still won’t reach them because Cuba is a strict country under communist rule, where people are not allowed to write things that run counter to their principles. That includes the Internet, which is screened regularly in the country.
Iran
Iran’s government is based on religion and prohibits not just information against their government, but also those that could inspire alternative philosophies and lifestyles among its citizens. They have a national firewall the screens online content and its citizens aren’t even allowed to access Facebook, Google+, and Youtube, which means social media campaigns won’t work.
North Korea
North Korea is a purely communist country that won’t even accept tourists from countries it considers as enemies, such as South Korea and the United States. Tourists from countries that are allowed get assigned personal escorts called minders, who will accompany the tourists at all times. This kind of strictness is mirrored in the country’s access to media, as everything from the TV, radio, print, and even Internet is strictly monitored. In fact, normal citizens don’t even get internet access. Only the ruling elite does, and their access is strictly monitored. Your site has slim to no chances of ever reaching anyone in North Korea.
China
Last but not the least is China. The country deserves the top spot because it has a booming economy that would be a prime audience for e-commerce, not to mention the country is open to other nations and has projected a very positive image in terms of economic policies. But this rapid development and positive economic image is a stark contrast with the country’s strictness on the Internet. They have a national firewall that blocks or limits communication with foreign sites that the government has deemed inappropriate, and they have laws that make it easy for their citizens to be tracked and spied upon online.