Instagram is accessible again in mainland China, though it’s not completely back to its former self.
Users started reporting they were able to access Instagram over the weekend. Tech in Asia staff stationed on the mainland confirmed the app is no longer blocked, though sometimes images won’t load or only partially load. Whether or not it works might depend on your internet service provider and location.
Chinese authorities censored Instagram in September during the high profile Umbrella Movement and Occupy Central protests in Hong Kong. Photos of the protests, which lashed out at officials in Beijing and called for democracy, flooded the profiles of many Hong Kong users and could be seen by mainland users.
The demonstrations have largely ended, and the last protest site was cleared in mid-December.
Many had given up Instagram for dead on the mainland; it’s uncommon for a website or app to be un-blocked, especially after three months of downtime. We even started looking into potential replacements.
Wow Instagram is now working for me in China. Interesting…
— Francis Bea (@francisybea) January 24, 2015
Now hearing from friends Instagram no longer working in China again. Anyone else?
— Paul Carsten (@PaulCarsten) January 24, 2015
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