How to Surf Blocked Sites in China, Vietnam, and The Middle East

It's no secret that there are parts of the world that block large areas of the Internet.  China has been known to block access to huge lists of IP addresses just because its a holiday and they've got to "clean up their act" while everyone's visiting.  Though Internet censorship in China is pretty slack, the same isn't true of The Middle East which not only censors the Internet, but also enforces the laws with fines or worse.  But no matter how serious Internet censorship laws are, there are always going to be ways to surf blocked sites.If you're in a country that censors the Internet, most likely, open proxies are not going to work. Though open proxies are a common way to bypass firewall restrictions at work and school, there are a number of reasons why these won't work in places that have their "ducks in a row".  For one, they're easily blocked.  Even some easy to install network software can block anonymous IP addresses, so you can bet that these governments with super-advanced technology can figure this out.  Anonymous proxies are dead in China, and dying in Vietnam.  I'm not sure about The Middle East, but it's not a chance I'd be willing to take.Another thing, related to open proxies is a web based proxy.  Whether these web based proxy sites are accessible from your region or not will depend on where you are.  In China, most are blocked. In Vietnam, there are still some that are available.  I've heard rumors, and see how its totally possible that governments could set up their own proxies and monitor the traffic of the IP's that use these proxies to unblock sites.  I of course have no proof, but it's completely possible.Which is why I recommend virtual private networks to surf blocked sites in China, Vietnam, and The Middle East.  There are many services out there, so even if one is blocked, you can get another.  They're super secure, and 90% of companies are dedicated to keeping your data safe - with clear terms and conditions that state they do not keep user logs and are UNABLE to turn over traffic records to governments, organizations, or individuals because of it.