I'm curious about why Facebook specifically needs to set up servers in China for users there. Can't they just have users connect to servers located elsewhere? Sure, there would be some slowness in connection, but is that really the only factor in play?
5 Answers
There are also laws in many other regions that mandate local data storage. This isn't just China; places like the EU and Canada have similar laws to protect their citizens' data, which is why companies often set up localized servers.
It's about balancing bandwidth costs and legal compliance. Having servers in China helps reduce costs and makes it easier to manage legality issues.
The main reason is data residency. China has strict data privacy laws that require companies operating there to store user data within the country. This helps them control the data and comply with local regulations. It's a huge concern for companies like Facebook.
And don't forget about the Great Firewall! That's a huge hurdle for any company wanting to operate in China, so they need to comply with the regulations to get through it.
You're spot on! The physical location of servers matters because of local laws. If a company wants to function in China, they need to play by those rules, otherwise, they'll face issues like getting banned.
Exactly! If you want access in China, you pretty much have to meet those local requirements.
Yeah, I get that. But why didn't they do the same with Russia? Seems like they just got banned instead.