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Comment by raincole | Hacker News Reader

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raincole

Don't listen to the sibling commenter who doesn't know what they're talking about.

No, you don't need ID verification to use search engine or read news in China.

However, sites that depend on user-generated content (like forums) would ask for at least your phone number.

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How easily can a burner be used?

Are sim cards easily swapped?

> Are sim cards easily swapped?

Very easily. Apple even specifically introduced dual-sim iPhone for China.

> How easily can a burner be used?

You need to bring your ID to a telecom to get a phone number legally. But I don't know if there is a black market for burner sims.

(Last time I've been there was a few years ago so take it with a grain of salt.)

Burner sims have been a thing of the past in China for quite some time. The official rationale I believe is to curb telecom fraud, which in turn left China and started doing their business in southeast Asia.

> Very easily. Apple even specifically introduced dual-sim iPhone for China.

Because they don't support eSIMs there.

There is no such thing as "burner". Phone number is very hard to get and requires ID verification and sorts

It's very easy to get. As a visitor, I got one in the airport for $20. "ID verification" is stretching it, but like so many things in China it requires the vendor to take a photo of your ID, and unusually also to take a photo of you and submit it to the telecom website.

Have you tried to use it to register for any website? It likely won't work.

This kind of SIM card worked fine for me to register for several online services in China earlier this year, including a Chinese ride sharing service and online shopping.

Not sure about now. It was before the covid. Keep in mind everything is done via weechat anyway now days.

Anyone from behind the great wall care to comment? Is HN event reachable from behind the great wall with out Tor?

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