Brazil
VPN demand increase: 88%
Date: August 17-19
Demand for VPN services in Brazil increased in the wake of a censorship row that has led social media company X (Twitter) to close its offices in the country, although the platform remains accessible there.[32]
VPN demand increased by 58% on August 17, the day of the announcement, compared to the daily average over the 28 days prior. Demand was higher again on August 18, at 88% above that baseline. On August 19, demand was 48% higher than usual.
The rise in VPN demand came amid speculation that Apple may have be preventing App Store users in the country from downloading certain VPN iOS apps.[33]
Our tests showed that at least 30 of the most popular VPNs on the App Store were not available to download on August 19, however it appears to been a temporary issue as the apps were installing as normal by the following day. View the full list of affected VPN apps.
Venezuela
VPN demand increase: 363%
Date: August 8-15
VPN demand in Venezuela has surged after the nation’s president announced a 10-day ban of X (previously Twitter) in the wake of disputed presidential elections in the country.
Demand for VPN services immediately jumped by 201% on August 8 compared to the 28 days prior. Demand was higher still the following day, at 363% above the prior daily average before falling back a little to 221% above the base line on August 10.
On August 11, VPN demand remained more than twice the baseline (118%) as Twitter/X continued to be inaccessible in Venezuela, however the surge in demand began to ebb over the following days and was within the normal range by August 15.
Turkey
VPN demand increase: 301%
Date: August 2-4 (ongoing)
Turkish authorities cut access to Instagram on August 2, prompting demand for VPN services to immediately increase by 268% compared to the daily average over the 28 days prior.
The surge in VPN demand was stronger still on August 3, up 301% compared to the prior period. While VPN demand backed off a little the following day, it remained 250% above the baseline.
Turkish authorities have not given an official reason for blocking Instagram, however the disruption comes in the wake of government criticism of Meta’s censorship of the platform.[31]
Bangladesh
VPN demand increase: 7,043%
Date: July 18-24
Demand for VPN services in Bangladesh has surged massively after internet access was partially restored in the country following a five-day internet shutdown.
VPN demand immediately spiked by 657% on July 23 compared to the daily average of the 28 days prior to the internet blackout. This increase is all the more significant as it was recorded during the few remaining hours of the day as the country started to come back online in the evening with fixed broadband access only.
Increased VPN demand accelerated the next day (July 24), rocketing by 7,043% compared to before the internet disruptions.
This huge increase came even though the mobile internet used by most Bangladeshis was still offline. Only a small percentage of the population has access to the restored fixed broadband services.[30]
Bangladeshis rushed to download VPNs on July 18 before mobile internet access was cut in response to student demonstrations, driving demand up by 635% compared to the previous daily average.
During the internet shutdown, VPN demand dropped to zero, as the nation was plunged into a communications blackout.
VPN demand started to increase on July 16 as authorities began to disrupt access to social media platforms, such as Facebook and WhatsApp before surging when internet restrictions intensified as part of a wider crackdown.[29]
Kenya
VPN demand increase: 534%
Date: June 25
VPN demand surged by 534% on June 25 in Kenya compared to the daily average over the previous 28 days after internet access was severely disrupted as major demonstrations took place across the country.
Internet access was reportedly interrupted and slow, while social media platforms, including X (Twitter), were also only intermittently accessible.
At the time of publication, Kenyan authorities had yet to take responsibility for the internet shutdown.
The day before, the government had announced that there were no plans to cut internet access during the planned demonstrations.
Kenyan ISP Safaricom blamed the internet shutdown on damage to undersea cables, however that claim was contradicted by the continuing availability of other ISPs, such as Airtel, that would have been also knocked offline in such a scenario.[28]
The internet disruptions also affected neighboring countries, including Uganda where VPN demand also rose by 61% on June 25, along with Tanzania, Burundi and Rwanda, where demand for VPN services remained flat.
Myanmar
VPN demand increase: 2,333% (peak) / 1,090% (av.)
Date: May 30 ongoing
Since the end of May, authorities in Myanmar have been enforcing a VPN crackdown to prevent citizens circumventing the various blocks on social media and messaging platforms that have been in place since 2021.[27]
Demand for VPN services immediately began to surge on May 29 when it doubled compared to the daily average over the previous 28 days. VPN demand skyrocketed 2,333% on May 30 compared to that prior period and has been on average 1,090% higher than normal since then.
The increase in demand is due to people in Myanmar being forced to rotate through multiple VPNs as the authorities have yet to completely block all VPN services in the country.
The following graph shows the increase in daily VPN demand compared to the daily average prior to the VPN ban.
Graph showing VPN demand increases in Myanmar since the end of May, 2024.
Indonesia
VPN demand increase: 373%
Date: April 29
Demand for VPNs in Indonesia surged by 373% compared to the daily average over the 28 days prior on April 29.
This large increase does not appear to have been prompted by any specific internet shutdown, as no new significant restrictions had been observed at the time of publication.
It’s possible that the surge in VPN demand could have been caused by fears that social media could be restricted in the wake of the second eruption of Mount Ruang volcano in two weeks on April 30.
Another possibility is that Indonesians might be trying to use VPNs to access restricted platforms, such as TikTok or Reddit’s /r/indonesia
group.
We will update this page as more information becomes available.
Brazil
VPN demand increase: 361%
Date: April 07 (ongoing)
Demand for VPN apps rose by 151% on Sunday after Elon Musk said X (Twitter) would defy government orders to ban several popular accounts in Brazil. The move sparked concerns that the platform could be blocked in the country, with Musk urging people to download VPN apps to retain access.
The following day, VPN demand rose by 361% compared to the average. By April 9, the demand decreased slightly but was still 198% above average.
Changes in VPN demand in Brazil compared to the 30-day average prior to April 7, 2024.
Although no country-wide restrictions have yet been recorded, we will continue to monitor the situation in the coming days.
Texas, U.S.
VPN demand increase: 275%
Date: March 14-18
Texas has become the latest U.S. state to enforce new laws requiring adult websites to verify the age of users visiting from that location. Demand for VPN services increased almost four-fold on March 15, jumping 275% compared to the daily average over the 28 days prior, in the wake of a court decision allowing the law to come into force. Demand remained almost as high (252%) on March 16 compared to the average. By March 17, VPN demand in Texas had softened slightly but was still 169% above average.
Pakistan
VPN demand increase: 131%
Date: February 19 (ongoing)
Demand for VPN services in Pakistan more than doubled on February 19 compared to the daily average over the 28 days prior as the authorities blocked Twitter.
VPN demand remained almost as high the following day when it was 91% higher than average.
As the graph below shows, demand for VPN services in Pakistan has fluctuated in the days since, with two days as high as 80% above average.
Changes in VPN demand in Pakistan compared to the 28-day average.
This increase is especially notable as VPN demand in Pakistan was already elevated, due to internet restrictions imposed in the period around the recent elections.
Senegal
VPN demand increase: 162%
Date: February 5
VPN demand in Senegal increased by 162% on February 5 compared to the daily average over the 28 days prior. This increase in demand for VPN services in Senegal as authorities cut mobile internet access in the country.
The internet blackout came in the wake of mounting opposition to the postponement of presidential elections, originally scheduled for February 25, which had been announced two days earlier.
VPN demand increased by 74% immediately following the announcement of the postponement.
While a VPN can’t help in the event of an internet blackout, the memory will remain fresh in Senegal of social media restrictions in June 2023 that sparked a record-breaking surge in VPN demand of over 60,000% that could be imposed once more to quash opposition.
Pakistan
VPN demand increase: 301%
Date: January 20
Demand for VPN services in Pakistan surged four times higher than average as the government again severely throttled access to all major social media platforms during an online event held by the opposition.[26]
It is the second time these kinds of restrictions have been applied in the last two weeks and VPN demand in Pakistan remained higher than average in the days between the two social media shutdowns.
VPN demand increased by 301% on January 20 compared to the daily average over the 28 days prior to the January 7 surge, which followed severe restrictions on access to social media platforms X (Twitter), Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Increases in VPN demand in Pakistan in January 2024.
Pakistan authorities previously blocked the same social media platforms for seven hours around the time of an earlier online opposition event on December 17, which led to a similar surge of 229% in VPN demand in Pakistan.
Pakistan
VPN demand increase: 235%
Date: January 7
Demand for VPN services in Pakistan more than tripled as authorities blocked multiple social media platforms ahead of a virtual fundraising event held by the opposition to launch its election campaign.[25]
VPN demand increased by 235% on January 7 compared to the daily average over the 28 days prior in the wake of severe restrictions on access to X (Twitter), Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Pakistan authorities previously blocked the same social media platforms for seven hours around the time of an earlier online opposition event on December 17, which led to a similar surge of 229% in VPN demand in Pakistan.
North Carolina & Montana, U.S.
VPN demand increase:
- North Carolina: 266% (peak)
- Montana: 482% (peak)
Date: December 28 (ongoing)
North Carolina and Montana both passed new age verification laws last year, imposing restrictions on people looking to access adult material online. The laws came into effect on January 1 2024, leading to a surge in VPN demand in both states on December 28, which has continued into the new year.
In Montana, demand peaked on December 29 at 482% higher than the daily average over the previous 28 days, while on the same day in North Carolina, demand was 266% higher than average.
In both states, demand for VPN services began to increase again on January 2, reversing a slight downward trend following the initial peak. In Montana, it was 386% higher on average on January 2 while in North Carolina, demand was 229% higher on the same date.
The average daily increase in VPN demand in Montana since December 28 has been 172%. In North Carolina, it has been up by 113%. While VPN demand dipped to just below average for a couple of days mid-month, it has since begun to climb significantly once more.
Chart showing the increase in VPN demand in Montana and North Carolina, U.S compared to the daily average prior to December 28, 2023.