Proton VPN Observatory (2025)
Documenting spikes in Proton VPN use as people fight for online freedom.
VPNs are essential tools to combat internet censorship. At Proton VPN, we regularly see signups spike following major geopolitical events around the world, be they protests, contested elections, or government crackdowns. To see how people worldwide fight internet censorship, we’ve begun documenting all significant spikes in Proton VPN usage.
ongoing
Belarus - January 21, 2025
+170% increase over baseline
Presidential elections: significant increase in VPN demands ahead of the presidential elections in the country scheduled on January 26, reportedly by fear of potential censorship or internet shutdowns.
USA - January 19, 2025
+490% increase over baseline
TikTok went offline in the United States on the night of January 18, few hours before a ban was slated to go into effect.
Venezuela - January 9, 2025
+5000% increase over baseline
Reported block of TikTok and several VPN websites in Venezuela and reportedly fear of tensions in the country ahead of Maduro’s inauguration scheduled on January 10.
Proton VPN's mission is to ensure freedom of speech and fight online censorship everywhere. We're proud to stand up for online freedom and enable people to access a free and open internet.