VPN Restrictions Impact 47.3% of Global Population

VPNs have become popular among internet users because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up allowing them to circumvent restrictions put in place by governments. Numerous national governments have tried to impose blocks on internet access that can leave its citizens less free than might have been the case otherwise, which makes VPNs a useful tool to ensure that you are not deprived of essential information.

In spite of the fact that this is the case, there are around 14 countries that are trying to restrict VPN access entirely. These countries include China, Pakistan, India, Iran, Iraq, Egypt and Turkey. The UAE, Russia, Belarus, Tanzania, Oman and Myanmar are also included in this list. Uganda is the only country so far that has removed these restrictions, thereby allowing its internet users to once again begin utilizing VPNs with all things having been considered and taken into account.

This data comes from Surfshark which recently conducted a study on VPN usage among internet users in various countries. With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that VPN restrictions are still impacting around 3.7 billion people around the world. That makes up approximately 47.3% of the global population.

Considering that ten out of the fourteen countries that are currently prohibiting the use of VPNs are located in Asia, the population of this gigantic continent is especially affected. It is estimated that as many as 71.6% of the people living in Asia are prevented from using VPNs by their governments, although most users find ways to get around these blocks and incorporate VPNs into their internet usage regardless.

One thing that bears mentioning is that several other countries could potentially be restricting internet access. Surfshark only didn’t include them in the list out of a lack of conclusive data.

For example, North Korea places enormous restrictions on internet usage, with barely any websites being available for internet users in the East Asian nation. However, there is no clear cut evidence that suggests that VPN usage in particular has been curtailed.

Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Indonesia, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan are just some of the other nations that may very well be preventing VPN usage, but the evidence remains inconclusive at best. The fact that all of these countries are present in Asia might indicate that only a small minority of people on the continent, namely those living in Japan, South Korea and a handful of other nations, are able to use VPNs freely.

This is a concerning development, since it suggests a dire state of internet freedom in Asia which is far worse than the rest of the world.

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by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World