Dodging censorship: VPN demand surges ‘6,000% in Pakistan’
GENEVA: Internet privacy company Proton said on Wednesday it would offer a network of free VPN servers for use in many countries holding elections this year that have a History of censorship and repression. Switzerland-based Proton said its aim was to help local populations circumvent government censorship , and to prevent interference or misinformation during the election campaigns. The company maintains that tracking demand for its VPN services is a means of early detection of government crackdowns and attacks on free speech. Proton said it had seen major surges in demand in a number of places over the past 12 months. It said it had seen demand hikes of 4,700 per cent in Nepal, 6,000 per cent in Pakistan, 25,000 per cent in Gabon and 100,000 per cent in Senegal, "all in response to political or civil unrest". In a year when around half the global population will head to the polls, Proton said it was vital to provide broad access to virtual private network servi...