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Are VPNs Legal? A Country-by-Country Guide
A virtual private network (VPN) is often regarded as a means to have secure and private internet access. However, it is no secret that many use it to hide some of the fishy online activity, including torrenting copyrighted material, or even in some cases, sensitive messaging that can affect the national security of countries. That's why different countries have different policies when it comes to VPN laws.
So if you're planning on taking a trip any time soon, keep an eye out for the local VPN laws in these countries, and make sure you check out the top VPNs in 2021 [Rated and ranked].
In this article, we will further discuss which countries totally ban VPN use, which countries limit its use with specific policies, and which countries have no issues against VPN. We will also mark which countries are a part of the 9/5/14 Eyes Alliance.
Countries with Strict Ban VPN Laws
This list includes countries with VPN laws indicating an absolute ban on VPN, as they don't allow any form of VPN use and will take legal action against users if and when detected.
The list of countries with an absolute ban on VPN includes:
1. Belarus
Belarus has clear VPN laws with clear and strict policies. In 2015 a law was passed deeming the use of a VPN illegal and stated that it would cost VPN users a large unnamed fine.
VPN use: Banned.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
2. North Korea
North Korea is another example of a country with clear VPN laws, as the use of a VPN is strictly illegal there. In fact, the local population cannot access the worldwide web; instead, they have to use a local intranet version called “Kwangmyong,” except for a few government-approved personnel who have access to the web. Even owning a computer requires getting permission from an authority. (Source)
However, this policy doesn't apply to foreigners, as you can use your 3G, 4G, or 5G mobile data when surfing the net in North Korea. However, keep in mind that they will try to monitor your data and search history during this time, so taking care is advised.
VPN use: Banned.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
3. Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan has had a full ban on VPN usage since 2015, as telecommunication in Turkmenistan is completely controlled by the government-owned only internet service provider (Turkmenet). Turkmenistan's VPN laws were passed to prevent any government-opposing media, including that of the western world, from having any sort of control over Turkmenistan's media outlets.
VPN use: Banned.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
4. Turkey
Turkey has had strict anti-VPN laws since 2016. They have started this law claiming it to be beneficial to fight terrorism, which "by chance" aligns with their censorship policy against propaganda. Turkey also has high levels of censorship of the internet, starting in 2007 when the government blocked YouTube for having a video that had mocked Turkey's first president. (Source)
Despite Turkey's continued efforts in blocking VPN use, they were not able to block all VPN providers, as many remain functioning well with their obfuscation capabilities.
VPN use: Banned.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
5. Iraq
Iraq's situation is very understandable, as the spread of ISIS makes using VPNs or message encryption a serious national security-related issue. And accordingly, the Iraqi government passed a law preventing the use of VPN by individuals or corporations in 2014.
VPN use: Banned.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
6. Iran
Another major player in the internet censorship game is Iran, starting with the censorship trend since 2013. According to local law, getting caught using a VPN can get a person thrown in prison for a year.
Towards the end of 2020, 40 Iranian lawmakers submitted a draft bill to the parliament; if passed, the bill would give the internet's gateways to the armed forces, which would end in harsher censorship on the citizens' use of the internet. (Source)
VPN use: Banned.
9/5/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
Countries with VPN Laws Partially Banning VPNs
The following are countries with less severe VPN laws, where the use of a VPN is considered legal in general, albeit with some exceptions to the rule.
1. Russia
In 2017, Russia started a ban on many VPN companies that had refused to enter their governmental filtering. However, while these VPN providers were eventually banned, it doesn't necessarily mean they have become illegal. On the contrary, Russia has a list of "recommended VPNs to use."
Russia simply doesn't want its users entering certain websites, which explains why Russia blocks these websites and bans VPNs that don't filter them. So, people in Russia are allowed to use VPNs, but they should never use these VPNs to access blocked content (Source). According to the VPN laws in Russia, if a user is caught using an "unauthorized VPN service," they will be fined for an amount close to $5000.
VPN use: Limited.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
2. Oman
Oman's VPN laws are against using a VPN altogether, except for a few government-approved VPN providers. A condition for Oman to accept a certain VPN as legal is for the VPN provider to agree to logging traffic and providing it to the government. The situation in Oman has been as such ever since 2011.
In Oman, if you want to use a VPN (any obfuscation or encryption), you need to acquire clear permission from government agencies. (Source)
VPN use: Limited.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
3. UAE
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) prevents the use of a VPN or any IP masking service (proxy servers). This ban started back in 2012 when the Arab Spring started, and there were fears of a revolution taking place. Nevertheless, this ban is limited to individuals only, as large corporations and banks still have the privilege of using a VPN.
The scapegoat the UAE uses as an argument against VPN services is telecommunication companies; they claim that many voice-over IP services (VoIP) negatively impact their businesses, impacting their economy. Some examples of VoIP companies that are banned in the UAE include WhatsApp and Skype.
If someone is caught using a VPN or an IP masking service in the UAE, they could be fined with imprisonment, a fine ranging between 500,00 - 2,000,000 Dhs (~$136,000-545,000), or both. (Source)
The UAE uses the Canadian-made Netsweeper to censor websites the government deems ban-worthy.
VPN use: Limited.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
4. China
While China doesn't state that using a VPN is illegal, there have been many instances where people who had been detected using a VPN were taken for interrogation. It's good that VPNs are not illegal, because, with the Great Firewall of China, people need VPNs to access the most basic online content.
VPN use: Limited.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance Countries with VPN Laws Allowing the Use of VPN
Although countries in this category are generally considered safe, there are a few that should be considered so, even if they completely allow the use of VPNs.
Countries within the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance are well known for spying on their citizens. In some cases, there have been instances of these counties subpoenaing the VPN companies and getting hold of their data.
Even if their VPN laws seem friendly and against collecting data on their citizens, there have been reports of countries getting access to each other's databases, then sharing it to bypass their own laws.
That is why you should pay attention to these countries.
1. The United States
The US doesn't have any anti-VPN laws. In fact, many VPN companies originate in the US. However, that doesn't mean the US doesn't keep track of what the local citizens do.
The ECHELON surveillance system, originally made during the cold war era to intercept soviet messages, is still used to this day, with the only difference being the target. (Source)
Being one of the 5 eyes alliance founding members means that the US shares its information with the other countries that are inside the alliance.
Although the US claims they don't spy on the local population, this rule can be easily bypassed by asking an ally inside the 5 Eyes Alliance to do the deed, then share the information with them.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: A part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
2. The UK
The UK is the second founding member of the 5 Eyes Alliance. There are no anti-VPN laws in the UK. However, the possibility of a sudden subpoena is not out of the ordinary, which means even if a VPN company is legally situated inside the UK, the government can easily ask them to hand in their log data.
This policy makes dealing with a VPN company situated inside the UK a hassle, as the very purpose of using a VPN is to protect one's privacy online.
Regarding internet neutrality, the UK is considered one of the countries with the least internet censorship. Yet, some websites that incite or glorify terrorism are blocked under the UK's section 3 of the terrorism act (2016); the punishment may even extend to the local ISP if they allow such acts.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: A part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
3. Canada
Canada has very similar VPN laws to its neighbor, the US, as VPN use is by no means against the law. However, if a subpoena is issued to gain access to logs and records, then the local VPN companies will be forced to hand the data to the authorities asking for them.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: A part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
4. Australia
Australia is also a 5 Eyes Alliance member, with a high level of intelligence sharing. Nevertheless, using a VPN is not against the law in Australia, but because of its status as a member of the 5 Eyes Alliance, local VPN companies are better avoided.
The government of Australia censors torrenting sites in addition to a few other types of websites. All ISPs are required by law to log user data. And in February 2021, the Australian Communications and Media Authority started asking internet service providers to block more gambling websites. The ACMA also asked anyone who had been using these websites in Australia to withdraw their money. (Source)
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: A part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
5. New Zealand
New Zealand has a similar status to Australia; Australia and New Zealand both have the same 5 Eyes Alliance status and the same local VPN laws. It is legal to use a VPN in New Zealand, but it is advised to avoid local VPN companies.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: A part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
6. France
France doesn't have anti-VPN laws, as VPN use is legal. But France is a part of the 9 Eyes Alliance, which means they acquire local VPN companies' log data by issuing a court order. As a part of the agreement between the 9 Eyes Alliance countries, France may share the information they have on you with their allies, which defies the purpose of using a VPN.
The French government monitors internet usage in order to prevent terrorism. Thousands of sites are blocked annually, and hefty fines have been imposed on Facebook for tracking user data.
France is also working on a new law that obligates websites with adult content to have an age-verification process. This legislation will block any adult website that does not comply with the law. (Source)
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: A part of the 9/14 Eyes Alliance.
7. Denmark
Denmark is another 9 Eyes Alliance country that spies on its own citizens. Although they had mistakenly blocked websites such as Google and Facebook in the past, the use of VPN in Denmark is completely legal. It should be kept in mind, though, that the country has the right to censor the internet at any given time if they decide it is necessary.
However, as is the case with other countries within the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance, the possibility of a subpoena to acquire all log data within the country is out there.
This means your data is at the risk of being taken or leaked at any given moment if the local government decides that collecting your data is needed; that's why using a VPN with RAM-based servers might be beneficial, as they automatically delete their content with every reboot.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: A part of the 9/14 Eyes Alliance.
8. The Netherlands
The Netherlands is one of the countries that largely have internet freedom, as the house of representatives has spoken against any form of internet censorship on multiple occasions. Since many VPN companies are based in the Netherlands, it is no surprise that VPNs are legal in the Netherlands.
The fact remains that The Netherlands is a part of the 9/14 Eyes Alliance, which means all of these VPN companies might be forced overnight to provide all the logs they have.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: A part of the 9/14 Eyes Alliance.
9. Norway
Norway tries to keep the internet free without imposing any restrictions whatsoever. According to the OpenNet Initiative, their research on Norway back in 2009 found no evidence of internet censorship or filtering.
Nevertheless, Norway is a part of the 9/14 Eyes Alliance, which means that they have the right to subpoena VPN logs of local companies.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: A part of the 9/14 Eyes Alliance.
10. Germany
Germany doesn't have any anti-VPN laws, as VPNs are legal, but any illegal use of VPNs is deemed illegal. Despite Germany being pro-free speech, they censor some websites when they see a need; these are mainly websites relating to hate speech or websites that deny the holocaust, in addition to a few more.
In fact, Germany is considered to have some of the harshest hate speech laws in the world, which extends to the internet in the form of censorship/filtering. (Source)
Germany joined the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance relatively late; their status as a 14 Eyes Alliance member makes their information network relatively limited compared to the members of the 5 Eyes Alliance. Nevertheless, they still get to share a large amount of information with the other 14 Eyes Alliance countries.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: A part of the 14 Eyes Alliance.
11. Sweden
Sweden is considered a pioneer in abolishing censorship, as they don't have any filtering on internet content. Norway's nordic neighbor has similar VPN laws, as it is considered legal to use VPNs there.
Unlike Norway, a member of the 9/14 Eyes Alliance, Sweden is a part of the 14 Eyes Alliance, which means the degree of information sharing between Sweden and other members is relatively less than Norway.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: A part of the 14 Eyes Alliance.
12. Belgium
When it comes to VPN laws, Belgium allows the general use of VPN as long as it is used for legal purposes, as the use of a VPN doesn't magically turn illegal activities into legal ones.
In terms of internet neutrality, Belgium blocks access to some of the torrenting sites nationwide in the form of a court order, which includes (The Pirates Bay) and (Vitae) and gambling websites (Source). In addition, individual ISPs have the right to block websites of their own choice.
Belgium is another country that is a part of the 14 Eyes Alliance, which means despite having a censorship-free internet and lenient VPN laws, Belgium may at any point subpoena the local VPN companies and ask for their logs, in the event they want to, or one of their allies from the 14 Eyes Alliance applies for it.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: A part of the 14 Eyes Alliance.
13. Italy
In 2009, Italy proposed a bill to support internet neutrality and prevent censorship (Source), making it a censorship-free country. The only exception is the existence of a few regulations concerning gambling websites and child pornography. (Source)
Regarding VPNs, Italy doesn't have any laws against VPN use in general, except when used for illegal activities. Regarding Italy's status in the 5/9/14 Eyes alliance, Italy is a part of the 14 Eyes, which makes using local VPN companies risky for users who don't want governments to peer into their logs.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: A part of the 14 Eyes Alliance.
14. Spain
As of 2012, Spain's government no longer imposed any form of internet censorship, and the VPN laws allow for the use of VPNs as long as it's for legal purposes.
Despite that, a few gag orders had been imposed. These orders made some organizations -such as Reporters Without Borders- lower Spain's rating compared to other countries regarding freedom of speech and expression, whether online or offline (Archived source).
Spain is also a member of the 14 Eyes Alliance, which means in the event log data of local VPN companies is required, Spain will share the data with all 14 countries.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: A part of the 14 Eyes Alliance.
Countries Outside the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance that Allow Using a VPN
A
1. Afghanistan
VPN use is legal in Afghanistan. In a surprising turn of events, despite the local terrorist groups, the freedom of expression in Afghanistan is better than in many other countries. (Source)
According to the law, every Afghan citizen has the right to publish any topic of their choice without submission to and approval of state authorities.
However, this freedom is limited by another law stating that no content or law can contradict the teachings of Islam.
The government instructed the local ISPs (internet service providers) to filter objectionable categories of sites and to ban offensive sites. The Afghan government is especially strict when it comes to sites related to alcohol and gambling.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
2. Albania
The Albanian constitution protects the freedom of speech, whether for the citizens or the press. There are no anti-VPN laws till now. There have been no governmental attempts to censor the internet. The Albanian government bans online gambling websites, though. (Source)
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
3. Algeria
According to the local legislation (Article 14 of ministerial decree no 98-257 of August 25, 1998), ISPs (internet service providers) in Algeria are required to control online content.
There have been multiple instances of censorship, with sites being blocked by the Algerian government. A recent example is Algeria's ban on three news websites in 2020.
This includes any anti-governmental posts, whether it's in online blogs as there have been instances of bloggers going to jail due to government criticizing posts (Example), or offline as the government owns most of the press. The government has previously blocked all political opponent sites and social media sites. The use of VPNs is legal in Algeria.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
4. Andorra
According to the Human Rights Report of 2016, the Andorra Government has not restricted access to the internet. The 79% of the citizens in Andorra who use the internet on a regular basis, enjoy it uncensored. VPN use is also not banned, while around
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
5. Angola
While the use of VPNs is still legal in Angola, the president took part in censoring social media use in November 2016 in the form of a press law that was criticized as it could impact free speech.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
6. Antigua and Barbuda
In Barbuda and Antigua, there are no anti-VPN laws, and the local government doesn't practice internet censorship, making it a censorship-free country.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
7. Argentina
Although some attempts were made to censor the internet in Argentina, the proposal was refused, and no laws have been passed. Regarding VPN use, there are no anti-VPN laws; and so, it's still legal.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
8. Armenia
Armenia doesn't have any anti-VPN laws. However, there have been reports of sites getting blocked by the government during times of political arrest (Example), in addition to concerns regarding internet filtering.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
9. Aruba
VPN use is considered to be legal in Aruba. At the same time, there is no internet censorship as the use of the internet is not restricted.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
10. Austria
As a part of the EU and in regulation with the freedom of speech, Austria is considered to be a censorship-free country as there is no restrictions on the use of the internet. There are no anti-VPN laws in Austria.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
11. Azerbaijan
The use of VPN in Azerbaijan is legal, as there are no anti-VPN laws. As for internet censorship, that's another story.
Internet censorship has been a huge deal in Azerbaijan. There have been multiple instances of activists getting arrested and punished by the government; an example would be during the 2003 elections, which has a full report by the Human Rights Watch.
Internet censorship includes independent news outlets and social media sites.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
B
1. The Bahamas
There have been several attempts to implement internet censorship in the Bahamas. However, none of them passed, and it remains censorship-free. It is legal to use a VPN in the Bahamas.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
2. Bahrain
Bahrain is not a censorship-free country regarding the use of the internet. The local government in Bahrain has full authority over censoring websites it finds unfit via the Telecommunication Regulatory Authority. According to routers, an attempt at cracking down websites back in 2009 triggered calls for reform (Source). Nevertheless, VPN use is currently still allowed.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
3. Bangladesh
In Bangladesh, the local government had censored social media sites in the past. The internet had been fully shut down in certain circumstances previously. Despite that, VPN use in Bangladesh remains legal.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
4. Barbados
Barbados is a censorship-free country when it comes to the internet; the locals can enjoy internet services restriction-free. There are no anti-VPN laws in Barbados.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
6. Belize
The local government in Belize has blocked VoIP services, including Skype, Whatsapp, and many others. However, VPN use remains legal.
In addition, there are some other blocked websites including those that sell counterfeit fashion goods. (Source)
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
7. Benin
Benin has free internet, as the local government hasn't made any moves with the goal of censoring the internet as of yet. Using a VPN remains legal to this day.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
8. Bhutan
Bhutan practices internet censorship regarding the content they find "immoral or questionable," which includes pornography and "offensive to the state" websites. Nevertheless, citizens are allowed to use VPN services as they wish. (Source)
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
9. Bolivia
In 2017, Bolivia and 17 other countries rejected a UN Human Rights Commission resolution, which was aimed at freeing the internet; many journalists in Bolivia have reported that as a form of censorship in restricting freedom of speech in the country. At the present time, the use of VPNs is still legal. (Source)
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
10. Bosnia and Herzegovina
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, social media posts that include hate speech, racism, religious bigotry, and those that could disturb the public order are punishable, as it is classified as criminal activity.
Although there is no restriction on accessing websites, there were a few instances where anti-governmental posts or comments had been considered hate speech and punished accordingly. However, there are no anti-VPN laws in Bosnia and Herzegovina. (Source)
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
11. Botswana
Botswana has a censorship-free policy as there are no reports of internet censorship. At the same time, the use of VPNs remains legal as there are no anti-VPN laws.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
12. Brazil
The local Brazilian government has made several attempts to restrict internet usage. WhatsApp was temporarily banned in Brazil in 2015, and the government has attempted several times to introduce other internet restrictions, although VPN use remains legal.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
13. Brunei
There are several reports of the internet monitoring the local government of Brunei practices. Furthermore, there have been cases where individuals got arrested due to posts on social media. In addition, the local government monitors private communication for anti-terrorism purposes and to check for "immoral" material. (Source)
Regarding VPNs, Brunei doesn't have anti-VPN laws as the use of VPNs is still legal.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
14. Bulgaria
The Bulgarian government made many attempts to monitor internet usage to control internet communications, which includes their request to ISP to provide logs on internet access.
In general, Bulgaria only gets logged data in accordance with proper legal authority. However, there has been criticism of legal gaps allowing for the acquisition of such information. (Source)
The use of VPNs is not banned or restricted as there are no anti-VPN laws.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
15. Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso practices internet censorship despite the very limited internet penetration in the country, standing at 9.4% of the entire population.
The local government monitors websites and social media sites. In addition, the local law prevents individuals from insulting the head of the state. An example would be an incident where warnings have been issued due to users insulting the president at the time. (Source)
It is legal to use VPNs in Burkina Faso.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
16. Burundi
The Burundi government doesn't practice internet censorship. Surprisingly, it is estimated that the internet penetration in the country is at 1% in spite of the population being over ten million. The local laws prevent any form of hate speech or public contempt-inducing posts. (Source)
There are no anti-VPN laws in Burundi.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
C
1. Cape Verde
There are no reports of internet censorship attempts by Cape Verde's government as the local citizens have free internet usage. Regarding VPNs, there are no anti-VPN laws as their use is legal. (Source)
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
2. Cambodia
In Cambodia, there have been multiple active attempts to censor the citizens' internet usage, the latest of which was in 2021. According to Human Rights Watch, the Cambodian new National Internet Gateway will allow the government to exercise greater amounts of censorship.
All internet traffic in Cambodia is to be routed through National Internet Gateway, which will, in turn, monitor online activity before it reaches users. This allows for “blocking and disconnecting all network connections that could affect safety, national revenue, social order, dignity, culture, tradition, and customs.”
There have been many instances where Facebook posts had been reported, resulting in arrests in the past. However, VPN use in Cambodia is still legal to this day.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
3. Cameroon
Although freedom of speech is officially encouraged in Cameroon, there have been multiple instances of government officials acting aggressively towards criticism and instances of oppression of freedom of speech. (Source)
Up until now, VPNs are not banned in Cameroon.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
4. The Central African Republic
Officially, The Central African Republic is pro-free speech as per the constitution. However, in reality, that's far from the truth; Journalists found guilty of libel or slander are fined for an amount equivalent to $200-16,000. (Source)
During times of unrest, the Central African Republic has banned the use of text messages. However, VPN use in the country remains legal.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
5. Chad
Officially, Chad's constitution allows for freedom of speech and the right to criticize anything. However, that isn't really the situation; publishing any critical articles can result in harassment.
The local law currently prevents any inciting of racial, religious, or ethnic hate speech, as any inciting is fined by an amount equivalent to ~$2000-6000. (Source)
There are no anti-VPN laws in Chad as it remains legal to use it to this day.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
6. Chile
According to article 19 (12) of the Chilean constitution, citizens have the right to free speech. However, according to article 19 (4), action can be taken against abuse. Unfortunately, the law is very vague in this area, adding freedom to the government to act as they like.
Despite the constitution prohibiting censorship, there have been multiple accounts of censoring content the Chilean government doesn't approve of. (Source)
The Chilean government continuously monitors its citizens, and the data retention laws are continuously progressing. In 2015, the Digital Media Act caused an uproar as it was considered as an extra layer to prevent freedom of speech. There are no anti-VPN laws in Chile; and so, the use of VPN is not banned.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
7. Colombia
In Colombia, the criminal code protects privacy and secrecy of communication. If a legal order is made through legal means, the police have the right to monitor and intercept communications. However, extrajudicial communication interception is prohibited under resolution 575 of the Colombian constitution. (Source)
Although the constitution prevents censorship, there have been reports of self-censorship in the form of direct and indirect threats. VPNs can be used legally by citizens of Colombia.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
8. Comoros
Comoros is a country with minimal censorship relating to news agencies, the locals enjoy uncensored internet access, and the use of VPN is legal in Comoros. (Source)
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
9. the Democratic Republic of the Congo
In general, internet usage in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is censorship-free, and the local government respects its laws to a great extent; there are no reports of monitoring private communications either. The only rules they have are against inciting ethnic, religious, and racist hate speech. (Source)
Nevertheless, on certain occasions, the country has shut down the internet and blocked the ability to upload images to social media platforms temporarily. VPN use is legal in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
10. Costa Rica
In general, Costa Rica is considered to be a relatively free country, with no censorship on content with the exception of hate speech about color, race, religion, and ethnicity.
According to article 288 in the Costa Rican criminal code, a punishment of 2-8 years of imprisonment is applied to individuals caught trying to obtain secret governmental information. (Source)
Costa Rica has seen many changes concerning the freedom of internet usage over the years. VPN use is not illegal, though.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
11. Croatia
Croatia is a free country with uncensored, unrestricted internet usage with the exception of hate speech, which is punishable by six months to three years of imprisonment. (Source).
There have been no reports of monitoring private communications in the country. There are no anti-VPN laws; therefore, VPNs can be used legally.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
12. Cuba
The Cuban government monitors its local citizens' internet usage. In addition, there are harsh penalties on law-breaking activities, and self-censorship limits transferring politically sensitive information, and access is limited to government-approved individuals. VPN use remains legal in Cuba as there are no anti-VPN laws.
The Cuban government imposes strict censorship regulations, with several sites having been censored, which in turn obstructs the freedom of information acquisition and THE freedom of expression. (Source)
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
13. Cyprus
Cyprus residents access the internet without any censorship or restriction by the government. Furthermore, there haven't been any reports of spying on private messages and chat rooms. The local law doesn't prevent the use of VPNs in Cyprus. (Source)
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
14. The Czech Republic
In 2016 The Czech Republic's government was trying to enforce a law stating that all locals should have a unique internet ID. However, this proposal didn't come to pass due to mass protests against it.
All in all, the internet in the Czech Republic is considered free, with a few limitations, including Holocaust denial, hate speech, and communist-era crimes denial. There are no anti-VPN laws in the Czech Republic. (Source)
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
D
1. Djibouti
In Djibouti, the local government has been reported to view freedom of speech as a threat, as is shown by their censorship of La Voix de Djibouti and other news websites. (Source).
Citizens in Djibouti can still use VPNs legally for now.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
2. Dominica
Dominica is considered a free country; there are no internet censorship practices. Furthermore, the local residents can legally use VPNs.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
3. The Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic also doesn't practice internet censorship, meaning it is a free country in terms of internet usage. The Dominican Republic doesn't have anti-VPN laws, so it can be used legally.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
E
1. Ecuador
Regarding the freedom of speech in Ecuador, it is considered a partially free country, as reported by Freedom House. This is due to multiple factors, including the controversial telecommunication regulation law passed in 2012. This law forces ISPs to provide user data to the government without the need for a judicial order. (Source)
Needless to say, the country has had a few controversial events throughout its history, and even some illegal shutdowns had occurred in the past. On the bright side, VPN use is still legal.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
2. Egypt
According to Freedom House, Egypt is considered not free when it comes down to freedom of speech, as the country is well known to restrict freedom of speech. Recently the Egyptian government has blocked all VoIP services, including Skype and FaceTime.
Egypt typically marks any website they find to be against their government as a terrorist-associated website. In fact, according to Reuters, the Egyptian government had blocked more than 21 websites in one setting with claims that they relate to the Muslim brotherhood.
Although Egypt has no anti-VPN laws, they block access to VPN websites in an attempt to prevent locals from breaking through the censorship.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
3. El Salvador
El Salvador has no internet censorship. Regarding freedom of speech, Freedom House ranks El Salvador as partially free, meaning there are a few restrictions when expressing one's thoughts. Using a VPN in El Salvador is legal. (Source)
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
4. Equatorial Guinea
In Equatorial Guinea's history, several issues regarding freedom of speech and press oppression are noticed. Even though the country's constitution officially promotes freedom of speech and expressing opinions, it also grants officials the power to restrict media. (Source)
An absolute taboo in Equatorial Guinea is criticizing the president and his family and a few high-ranking officials. However, there are no anti-VPN laws in Equatorial Guinea, and residents can legally use VPNs.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
5. Eritrea
Eritrea is known for internet censorship despite only a small fraction of the population having access to the internet (6.9%). Some examples of banned websites include pornographic websites and YouTube. The censorship occurs at the ISP level. Eritrea doesn't have anti-VPN laws; it allows citizens to use VPNs.
Furthermore, when it comes to freedom of speech, Eritrea tops the list as one of the most censored countries according to CPJ. (Source)
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
6. Estonia
Estonia is a free country and was one of the top countries when it came to internet freedom prior to 2010. After 2010, a few regulations have been put into place, including the Estonian Gambling Act which was issued in 2008 and renewed in 2010 and again in 2013 to start filtering gambling websites and censoring them. VPN services are legal in Estonia.
Estonia is considered one of the top countries regarding freedom of speech according to Freedom House. (Source)
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
7. Ethiopia
Ethiopia is one of the earliest sub-Saharan African countries to use internet filtering, which was used mainly during political turmoil. Using any VoIP services is considered a crime according to the local law. However, the use of VPNs is not illegal.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
F
1. Fiji
Concerning VPN laws, the use of a VPN in Fiji is completely legal. When it comes to internet censorship, Fiji doesn't censor a lot of content online.
A major change concerning online censorship came in 2018 under Fiji's Online Safety Act 2018, which fines anyone who posts anything that might harm others online for ~$9,400. While many considered it a win for women who often get their photos spread online, others thought of it as a "Trojan Horse" to instill internet censorship in the future.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
2. Finland
There are no anti-VPN laws in Finland, as it is legal to use a VPN. However, when it comes to internet censorship, the Finnish government has been criticized before for censoring certain websites.
The main focus of Finnish internet censorship is aimed at copyright infringement and torrenting websites or any illegal file-sharing that might be possible. This was first announced back in 2005, under The 2005 amendment to the Finnish Copyright Act and Criminal Code, which is also known as Lex Karpela.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
G
1. Gabon
Gabon's constitution provides a free press and freedom of speech. However, there have been reports of limited internet usage per day during political turmoil, such as Gabon's blackout incidents in 2016, with a 12 hour per day internet access and blocking websites like Twitter.
The law in Gabon punishes libel with jailing between 2 and 6 months and a fine equivalent to an amount between $1000 - 10,000. The use of VPN remains legal in Gabon as there are no anti-VPN laws. (Source)
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
2. The Gambia
The Gambia is considered a partly-free country when it comes to internet freedom according to Freedom House, which is not surprising since the country is known to restrict internet access during election periods.
As for freedom of speech, although the constitution provides for it, the local government's arbitrary arrests and fines provide for high levels of self-censorship. Using a VPN is legal in the Gambia, as there aren't any anti-VPN laws. (Source)
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
3. Georgia
Georgia is an example of a country trying hard to reduce the local internet censorship due to their desire to join the NATO and EU. Nevertheless, Georgia censors many Russian websites due to the Russia-Georgia war. Georgia has recently been under cyber-attacks that have been linked to the Kremlin.
Georgia is considered a free country as of 2020 according to Freedom House. Georgia doesn't have any anti-VPN laws, hence the use of VPN is legal.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
4. Ghana
Ghana is considered one of the freest countries in Africa in terms of internet usage, with the exception of some special occasions, Ghana respects internet freedom and the freedom of speech.
Some of these exceptions include censored tribal violence in the north of the country back in 2022, in addition to internet blackout during the 2016 elections. The use of VPN remains legal in Ghana. (Source)
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
5. Greece
Greece’s government attempts to impose internet censorship via blocking several online sites which include gambling websites and torrenting websites.
As for freedom of speech, there aren't many restrictions except against hate speech against races, ethnicities, and religious groups. There aren't any anti-VPN laws in Greece, therefore the use of VPN is considered legal. (Source)
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
6. Grenada
In Grenada, VPN use is legal, and no internet restrictions are in place, although a massive fine awaits anyone insulting someone online.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
7. Guatemala
Not known for freedom of speech, surprisingly, Guatemala citizens do enjoy online privacy.VPNs are also legal.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
8. Guinea
VPNs are legal in Guinea, and all residents enjoy unrestricted internet access.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
9. Guinea-Bissau
In Guinea-Bissau, VPN use is not restricted, and citizens can also use the internet without any restriction.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
10. Guyana
Guyana does not censor or restrict internet usage or freedom, and VPNs are legal.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
H
1. Haiti
In Haiti, citizens have no censorship or blocking hassles when it comes to internet usage, and VPNs are legal.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
2. Honduras
In Honduras, VPN use is legal, although the government controls internet usage.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
3. Hungary
Hungary has monitoring and censorship in various forms, and the government has tried several times to impose a law banning end-to-end encryption protocols although VPN usage remains legal in the country.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
I
1. Iceland
Iceland is a free country with minimal censorship, as the Icelandic constitution strictly prohibits censorship. However, Iceland blocks torrenting websites along with its nordic neighbors.
Internet usage is not monitored or limited in Iceland, and residents are free to use VPNs.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
2. India
India is one of the countries with the most restrictions on websites; it is no surprise that it has the second-highest percentage of VPN use per capita, as using a VPN is still legal and is used regularly to bypass censorship. In 2018 India had the most internet shutdowns in the world.
In addition, India monitors and logs all internet data, in accordance with Information Technology (Amendment) Act 2008.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
3. Indonesia
Indonesia allows the use of VPNs. In fact, Indonesia has the largest percentage of VPN users in the world. The local Indonesian government practices internet censorship by blocking many websites including porn websites and anti-Islamic websites. (Source)
Furthermore, the government blocks sites such as Netflix and Reddit. The reason for the ban is that both contain pornographic material or shows with elements of LGBTQ+. The censorship keeps going on and off.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
4. Israel
Israel has laws that enable the government to block content that is considered inciteful. Otherwise, censorship is ISP-dependant, as some ISP (Internet Rimon) seem to lean towards religious teachings as it filters sexual content and other sites considered to be immoral for customers who voluntarily subscribe. (Source)
While citizens are allowed to use VPNs legally, using local VPN companies is not recommended as Israel is suspected to be an unofficial member of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance, as they have been known to work with them sharing information.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Suspected affiliate of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
5. Ivory Cost
The internet penetration in Ivory Cost is 2.6%, as only a small portion of citizens have access to the internet. That being said, the country has unrestricted access to the internet. There are no anti-VPN laws, as the use of VPN is legal. (Source)
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
J
1. Japan
Up till this point in time, Japan doesn't have any anti-VPN laws. The Japanese government doesn't practice direct internet censorship, as it is considered in general to be one of the free countries regarding internet usage. However, it is suspected that indirect censorship is directed at citizens by encouraging self-censorship practices.
According to Freedom House, Japan has a score of 77/100 regarding internet freedom. In general, there have been a few reports of legislation concerning the penalization of certain online activities with censorship attempts by the government.
Japan is suspected of co-operating with 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance countries and sharing information with them on multiple occurrences. Thus, using a Japan-based VPN is not recommended.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Suspected co-operation with the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
2. Jordan
In Jordan, although VPN use is legal, the local government censors access to VPN websites. The local Jordanian government practices internet censorship whenever political issues representing national security threats arise.
In addition, the local government poses restrictions on multiple types of content, including websites promoting the use of drugs and tobacco products, anti-religious content, and more.
According to the Arab Network on Human Rights Information, this even extended to internet cafes in Jordan, forcing them to install cameras, and register information of users and log any accessed data. (Source)
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a member of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
K
1. Kazakhstan
Active internet censorship is present in Kazakhstan. The government targets and blocks online content related to extremism, terrorism, pornography, politics, and violence. (Source)
Further, the government completely blocked mobile networks and disconnected internet service in 2019 following the allegedly flawed elections after the sudden resignation of Kazakhstan's president at the time.
Kazakhstan has no VPN laws to ban or restrict the use of VPNs. However, users who had tried to access the internet with VPNs reported having some trouble doing that.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: An intelligence-sharing alliance of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
2. Kosovo
There are no blocks on online content in Kosovo which makes it a somewhat free country.
However, in 2014 a law had been passed and it changed things drastically. The Law of Interception of Telecommunication grants the government real-time access to people's geolocation and search data, although no reports have featured such government activities. (Source)
Despite this strict censorship, the use of VPNs in Kosovo is legal.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a member of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
L
1. Latvia
Latvia is known to be a 'free' country; no reported government censorship interference has ever been reported. But is there such a thing as a completely free country? Latvia targets and blocks online gambling websites and their customers. (Source)
However, there are no VPN laws restricting the use of VPNs.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a member of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
2. Lebanon
Lebanon is one of the countries where censorship is a given. Over the years, a considerable number of journalists have been arrested over online speech issues. The censorship extended to the LGBT+ community, too; the LGBT+ dating platform Grindr was banned twice. (Source)
Not only does Lebanon have internet censorship, but also censorship on any media outlet.; for example, the ban of Wonder Woman by Lebanon in 2017 became headline news. The reason behind the ban was that a citizen of Israel had starred in it.
However, despite all this censorship, VPNs are currently not banned in Lebanon.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a member of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
3. Lesotho
In 2017, the Government of Lesotho tried to block and ban certain websites, but it was an unsuccessful attempt. (Source)
And anyway, only less than a quarter of Lesotho residents (around 530,000 citizens) use the internet. So, with the really low penetration of the internet, the government has not tried to restrict or censor the use of the internet other than the 2017 incident. So naturally, VPNs are legal in Lesotho.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a member of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
M
1. Madagascar
Even though internet penetration is very low in Madagascar, the government still practiced internet censorship; a law was passed in 2014 criminalizing the defamation of a state representative online and sentencing those who are guilty of it to two to five years in prison and/or 2 million to 100 million ariary. (Source)
However, there are no VPN laws in Madagascar; therefore, it is legal to use VPNs.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a member of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
2. Malaysia
In 2011, Najib Razak, the Prime Minister of Malaysia, promised that censorship would never be allowed, although site-blocking took place after the reported 2015 corruption scandal.
Malaysia also blocks certain online content such as pornography, gambling, torrent websites, and dating websites. (Source)
Malaysia's censorship did not affect the legal use of VPNs.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a member of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
3. The Maldives
As ordered by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, the Telecommunication Authority of Maldives started blocking websites that are anti-Islamic or immoral in content. (Source)
Despite the censorship, the use of VPNs is still legal in the Maldives.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a member of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
4. Mali
In Mali, internet adaption has been slow due to unreliable and very slow connectivity, and thus far, very little interference from the government has been experienced by the citizens. It is also legal to use VPNs in Mali.
However, in July 2020, social media and messaging apps were partially blocked in Mali for five days despite people's protests. (Source)
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a member of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
5. Malta
Thousands of Malta residents have protested recently against the Maltese government bill; citizens felt it would be used to pretext online censorship, although the government strongly disagreed. The draft bill aimed to update Malta’s defamation and libel laws. However, the Nationalist Party saw it as a way to oblige citizens to register before being able to express views on the internet. (Source)
As for Malta's VPN laws, there aren't any; the use of VPNs remains legal.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a member of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
6. Mauritius
The ICT Act offers the government of Mauritius the right to block any internet content due to the way it is worded. In fact, Facebook access has been blocked in the past. (Source)
VPN services are legal in Mauritius, and lately, no social media sites have been blocked.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a member of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
7. Mozambique
Besides everything else that is wrong in Mozambique, the government was also found spying on its resident’s internet activities as well as reading WhatsApp messages, listening to private calls, and monitoring activities on social media. It is one of the countries where citizens are basically forced to use VPNs to enjoy privacy, and thankfully the government has not yet blocked the use of VPN services. (Source)
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a member of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
8. Mexico
When it comes to Latin American Countries, Mexico offers the most freedom. And while the citizens are used to very little government interference, journalists have reported threats from cartels; the cartels have a history of threatening both the press and the government. (Source)
In Mexico, VPN use is legal, and there is no reason to believe it will change anytime soon.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a member of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
9. Morocco
Citizens of Morocco and the rest of the world were shocked by the news that the government of Morocco banned the use of Facebook Messenger, Viber, VoIP sites, and WhatsApp in 2016. However, VPN use has not been outlawed by the North African country yet. (Source)
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a member of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
N
1. Nauru
In terms of VPN laws in Nauru, the use of VPN is legal. Furthermore, there don't seem to be any reports regarding co-operated efforts with the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
As for internet censorship in Nauru, the local government has a few restrictions regarding websites, some of which include the infamous blocking of Facebook, which the government of Nauru denied, stating it was an exceptional situation regarding revenge pornography over Facebook. They stated that Nauru doesn't have any restriction on websites, with the exception of porn websites. (Source)
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
P
1. Pakistan
Even though VPN use has not been banned in Pakistan, the country is extremely strict; it has banned, and blocked sites like Flickr, Facebook, and, surprisingly, even Wikipedia is blocked. In addition, YouTube was banned from all other social media sites. And although the ban is now lifted, several filtering systems are in place to view and control the search results of citizens. (Source)
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
2. Palestine
In Palestine, the government actively censors citizens' and opposition media activities on the internet. The government has also blocked and shut down numerous websites. Surprisingly though, the use of VPN services is legal in the country.
Most recently, in May 2021, users of the internet have reported multiple incidents where Twitter and Facebook accounts had been deleted. The users said that this censorship had aimed to stop them from showing the reality of what had been happening in Jerusalem. (Source)
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
3. Panama
Residents of Panama enjoy complete access to the internet, and no reports have been published on the government attempting to censor or block websites while it is also legal to use VPN services.
However, Panama's Penal Code criminalizes the defamation of a state representative with a penalty of fines and prison time. (Source)
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
4. Paraguay
When it comes to internet freedom, usage, and rights, Paraguay citizens live in a free country, and the government is not aiming to change this soon. Citizens are also free to make use of VPNs.
This freedom came with a price, though; Digital piracy is a common occurrence in Paraguay. (Source)
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
5. Peru
Peruvians enjoy complete freedom when it comes to internet accessibility; Peru offers a free and safe environment for everyone. Furthermore, the use of VPNs is legal. (Source)
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
6. The Philippines
The Filipino government has blocked popular pornography websites. Apart from that, citizens can enjoy full access to the internet and VPN use. (Source)
However, in 2018, the U.K. sold the Philippines spyware tools to track down drug dealers. As a result, people have been worried that spyware tools could be used to monitor people's internet usage. However, there have been no reports of that so far.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
7. Poland
Rated as a free and fair country, Poland respects the privacy of its resident’s internet rights. However, the government introduced surveillance and anti-terrorism laws that give it the right to block websites. While this action has been criticized, Poland has no VPN laws restricting the use of VPNs.
On the contrary, Poland started fining websites that delete or remove any content that they deem offensive. This has resulted from Poland's decision to follow in the U.S.'s steps in freedom of speech. (Source)
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
8. Portugal
There are almost no reports or signs of the government of Portugal trying to interfere with citizens’ rights to freedom. Almost.
In 2016, the Portuguese government shut down 86 online casino games websites, namely poker. This had led to "at least 50 players moving to other countries where online gaming is allowed." (Source)
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
Q
1. Qatar
Qatar doesn't have any anti-VPN laws locally, as the local government allows citizens to use VPNs freely. However, the same can't be said when it comes to internet censorship. The Qatari government leaves the local ISPs the power to block content in accordance with the law, as the ISP companies will be responsible for any mistakes.
According to Qtel, one of Qatar's major ISP companies, internet censorship involves three main categories of content which are pornography, political criticism, and anti-Islamic websites. An issue that had often risen with complaints from users involves the company blocking non-obscene/offensive websites, which Qtel denied. (Source)
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
R
1. Romania
Romania doesn't have any anti-VPN laws. In fact, some of the biggest names in the VPN world are based in Romania (CyberGhost).
Romania has always respected its citizens' free internet rights, but they had an issue with certain types of content, which include:
Pornographic content as the country had blocked all pornographic sites back in 2003 under the Law on Prevention and Combat of Pornography (No. 196/2003), this law required users who want to access porn sites to use a password to log into the website, and would have to pay a tax by the minute. (Source)
The introduction of gambling website control was greeted with huge criticism by the local citizens. Many saw the law as the start of censorship on other internet activities. Currently, Romania has a list of governmentally approved gambling websites in Romania that locals can use.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
S
1. Serbia
The government in Serbia is often referred to as an abuser of internet rights, and it is not unusual for sites to be taken offline for criticizing the performance of the government.
In 2014, Serbia was flooded in what had been the worst flood in 120 years. Media outlets rushed to criticize the corruption and the government, and this is where internet censorship started. (Source)
The government has not illegalized the use of VPN services yet, which offers citizens a way around all the blockages.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
2. Seychelles
Recently, the activities of the government trying to restrict access to the internet have been an action strongly criticized by the media and the residents of Seychelles. Seychelles has no VPN laws restricting or banning the use of VPNs.
In Seychelles, there are two Newspapers and two radio stations, all are owned and controlled by the government. The law also prohibits any religious or political parties from having public radio broadcasts. (Source)
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
3. Singapore
Several forms of censorship have been reported in Singapore, and numerous political, pornography, and gambling websites have been shut down. Luckily, though, the use of VPNs is still legal.
The government in Singapore had claimed that the uncensored use of media can have negative effects. So, as a way of precaution, Singapore started practicing internet censorship. (Source)
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
4. Slovakia
The government in Slovakia, in general, has not interfered with the rights of internet users, and only small instances have been reported of restrictions, while the legal use of VPNs remains legal and unchanged.
Slovakians enjoy surfing the internet freely with restrictions only on unlicensed gambling websites. In June 2021, the government of Slovakia banned the streaming service Twitch because a streamer played poker. (Source)
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
5. Slovenia
VPN use is legal in Slovenia, where around seventy-three percent of the citizens use the internet. The government is not attempting to change the law at current regarding internet censorship, and no sites have been blocked or restricted.
However, journalists still face harassment and threats over the content they produce. And in Slovenia, defamation is a criminal offense that could lead to years in prison. (Source)
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
6. South Africa
While the use of VPNs remains legal in South Africa, the government has been criticized for implementing censorship on the African continent in the bill relating to online regulation policies. The citizens are still quite free when it comes to internet usage, although online gambling is illegal.
In 2019, the government tracked over 70,000 South African mobile phones justified by a loophole that had been created in South Africa's surveillance laws. The loophole allowed for the mentioned spying to happen. (Source)
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
7. Sri Lanka
Several reports have been issued regarding the government in Sri Lanka censoring the internet activities of its citizens, which includes the blocking of websites. The use of VPN services remains unchanged and is currently still legal.
In 2019, more than 300 people died in a series of bombings of hotels and churches, and to stop the spreading of "false news," the government banned Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Youtube, Snapchat, and Viber. (Source)
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
8. Sudan
In Sudan, the arrest of internet users, internet café raiding, and the shutdowns of the internet is not an uncommon affair. The government is currently improving the internet freedom terms, and citizens are still allowed to legally use VPNs.
Internet service providers in Sudan blocked WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Periscope, and Instagram from December 2018 through February 2019. (Source) And it had not been the only instance.
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
T
1. Taiwan
Information about internet censorship in Taiwan is limited. Two bills were proposed by this East Asian country years ago that gave it the power and authority that are similar to that of China regarding censorship of internet activities. So far, the rights have not been used by the government to shut down sites, and VPN use also remains legal. (Source)
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
2. Thailand
In a country known for its no internet interference policy, several reports have surfaced regarding ISPs banning sites such as WikiLeaks and news outlets. No laws have been passed on making the use of VPNs illegal, and citizens can use VPNs currently.
On a censorship scale of 1-10, 10 being the harshest, Thailand scored 6. Some of the websites that are strictly prohibited in Thailand include pornography and gambling websites. (Source)
VPN use: Legal but some VPN providers are partially banned.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
3. Tonga
The Internet Regularity Agency has been given full power to censor and block internet websites since the pass of the 2015 Communication Amendment, without any involvement of a judge, while the government also has the power to censor internet sites due to other laws. However, no VPN laws have banned VPNs, and they are still legal in Tonga. (Source)
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
U
1. Ukraine
For a long time it was believed that Ukraine was a censorship-free country, however, after the events of Crimea with Russia annexing the peninsula, several of the most popular social media sites (such as VK) were censored and blocked by the government. No reports have been published regarding VPN use, as it remains legal.
Although earlier in 2005 Ukraine had a black-box policy intercepting and logging data at the ISP level, this was later changed as the law was withdrawn. (Source).
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
2. Uruguay
In terms of freedom of speech in Uruguay, the country boasts a high level of freedom, which extends to using the internet freely as there have been no reports of internet censorship by the local government. There are no anti-VPN laws in Uruguay, (i.e., VPN use is legal).
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
V
1. Vatican City
Vatican City citizens and visitors enjoy uncensored internet usage, and the government has not attempted to block or ban any websites except for those with explicit and pornography content. It is also legal to use VPNs in Vatican City. (Source)
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
2. Venezuela
In Venezuela, the government has blocked several sites, including just about every major social network, including Zello, Facebook, WhatsApp, and Twitter. Citizens can still get around the restriction by using VPNs, which are currently still legal in the country. (Source)
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
3. Vietnam
Even before the pass of Decree 72, Vietnam already had had a really bad reputation for its attempts to block sites and censoring all internet activities.
According to decree 72, the government of Vietnam has the power to censor any form of internet usage for national security purposes. Citizens of Vietnam can still use VPN services legally. (Source)
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
Z
1. Zambia
Internet penetration in Zambia is very low because of the high percentage of poverty and illiteracy. Nonetheless, internet censorship is not very subtle in Zambia. Even though freedom of speech, press freedom, and the right to access information are all protected by the country's Bill of Rights, censorship is still practiced. And so, it is such a relief that there are no restricting VPN laws in Zambia.
Zambia works with the help of Chinese companies to block some social media platforms and websites that they deem "unfriendly." These websites include pornography websites and LGBT+ dating platforms. (Source)
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.
2. Zimbabwe
It has become a common practice for some African countries to block certain websites to have control over people's access to the internet. However, Zimbabwe still has no restricting VPN laws.
In Zimbabwe, there are multiple instances where social media platforms had been shut down to suppress protests, such as the WhatsApp block. (Source)
VPN use: Legal.
5/9/14 Eyes Alliance status: Not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance.