VPN usage has witnessed an astronomical surge, surpassing 6,000% in Pakistan amid restrictions on social media as Internet privacy company Proton on Wednesday announced its intention to provide a network of free VPN servers for use in numerous countries with upcoming elections, historically plagued by censorship and oppression.
It is worth noting that popular social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, first went down on Feb. 17 when a government official confessed to manipulating votes in Pakistan’s Feb. 8 general election. The admission came as former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and other political parties staged protests countrywide, alleging the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had rigged elections, which it denies.
Proton, headquartered in Switzerland, aims to assist local populations in bypassing government censorship and thwarting interference or disinformation during election campaigns.
The company asserts that monitoring demand for its VPN services serves as an early warning system for government crackdowns and assaults on free expression.
Over the past year, Proton has observed significant spikes in demand in several regions. Notably, there have been increases of 4,700% in Nepal, 6,000% in Pakistan, 25,000% in Gabon, and a staggering 100,000% in Senegal, all in response to political or civil unrest.
In a year marked by elections affecting approximately half the global population, Proton emphasizes the critical importance of ensuring widespread access to virtual private network services, facilitating evasion of internet censorship and unrestricted access to information.
Among the countries where Proton will provide its free servers are Venezuela, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, and Turkey.
Proton’s CEO, Andy Yen, stated, “2024 is poised to be a transformative year for democracy worldwide. Many nations holding elections have a dubious record concerning free speech and fair electoral processes.”
“Defending free speech and combating censorship is integral to our mission, and we are dedicated to aiding voters worldwide in exercising their fundamental rights,” he added.
Proton, renowned for its encrypted email service, announced that it would offer free local servers to users appearing to log on from the country where the election is being held for two weeks before and after the crucial event.
The company noted that the technical approach would vary depending on the circumstances in each country. It highlighted its “smart routing technology,” enabling the provision of VPN servers in countries where physical presence is not feasible.
