China employs TWO MILLION workers to keep an eye on internet use by itscitizens

Workers are hired as 'internet opinion analysts' by the Chinese government 

• By performing simple keyword searches, they are able to monitor tens of millions of online posts every day
• Their main targets are social media and blogging sites, such as Weibo
• Supported by technology which can analyse millions of posts an hour
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By SOPHIE JANE EVANS

China has employed two million people to keep an eye on its citizens' internet use, according to state media (file picture)

Banned: Facebook is among the numerous websites banned by the Chinese government, which insists on vetting any sites that wish to operate in the country

China has employed two million people to keep an eye on its citizens' internet use, it is claimed.

The workers are paid by the government and private businesses to monitor the tens of millions of online posts made by Chinese users every day, according to state media. 

Their main targets are social media and blogging sites, which have proved difficult for the country's notoriously controlling authorities. 

The workers - hired as 'internet opinion analysts' - are scouring sites such as popular microblog Weibo, according to government-run Bejing News. 

By performing simple keyword searches, they are able to monitor the vast number of comments and images posted online every day. 

They are believed to be supported by technology which can analyse millions of posts an hour - both in and outside China. 

The exact number of staff employed by the Chinese government to trawl the internet in search of criticism or dissent has long been a source of speculation.

The country’s communist authorities are said to be terrified that relaxing their grip could result in unrest or political change. 

Many websites freely available in the west, such as Google Maps and Facebook, have been banned by the Chinese government, which insists on vetting any sites that wish to operate in the country.

Developers from all over the world have tried to liberate the country's online policy - known as 'the great firewall of China' - by creating tools which allow users inside the country to bypass 'the wall' and see content they would be able to in the outside world.

However, it was revealed yesterday that Apple have been accused of kowtowing to the government after pulling a program from its China App store which allowed users to bypass the country's strict internet controls.

The free app, called Open Door, could be used by Chinese people to randomise their IP to keep their browsing information private and prevent them form being directed to censored content. 

It was being sold on Apple's Chinese version of the App Store until July this year, when it was pulled by the Californian computer giant who said that it contained 'illegal content'.

The tech giant has reportedly confirmed that the app had been banned because it contained content which was illegal in China, and that developers have to abide by laws in the country they wish to sell their software.