Is It Legal to Use a VPN? – Countries Where It Is Illegal

Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) are legal in many parts of the world, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and most of Europe. They are widely recognized as essential tools for protecting personal data, bypassing geo-restrictions, and maintaining anonymity while browsing the internet. However, the legal landscape for VPNs is not uniform globally. In some countries, VPN use is heavily restricted or even outright illegal. This article will delve into the legal status of VPNs, exploring their restrictions and outright bans across different countries.

General Legality of VPN Use

In most countries, including Europe, the United States, and many Asian countries, VPNs are legal and widely used. VPNs are technologies designed to enhance the confidentiality of internet communications and to protect against malicious third parties intercepting the content of communications. Many companies also use VPNs to connect to their corporate intranets. Rather than being suppressed, VPNs are being actively utilized in many parts of the world.

Countries Where VPN Use Is Illegal or Restricted

While VPNs are legal in most countries, their use is restricted or completely illegal in some due to various reasons. Here is a list of countries with usage restrictions, based on information from various sources:

In the following sections, we will delve into the specifics of these restrictions, grouped into “illegal and severely restricted countries,” “legal with restrictions,” and “legal but de facto restricted countries.”

Countries That Are Illegal or Severely Restrictive

Countries that have made VPN use illegal or severely restricted include China, Russia, Belarus, Turkmenistan, North Korea, Iraq, Iran, and Oman.

China

China, known for its control over domestic speech, heavily restricts the use of VPNs. Unauthorized VPN use can lead to fines. However, the use of VPNs for personal enjoyment is tacitly approved, and there have been almost no cases of people being caught using VPNs in China.

Explore more detailed>>Is it Legal to Use a VPN in China?

Russia

Russia controls the information its citizens can access. It is illegal to use a VPN to access sites and social networking services that are on the government’s blacklist.

Belarus

Belarus regulates any speech critical of the dictatorship and attempts to suppress organized protests against the government. It has outlawed the use of VPNs, allowing Internet access only within the reach of government surveillance.

Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan severely censors and restricts the Internet to block foreign media. Therefore, the use of VPNs is also prohibited.

North Korea

In North Korea, the general public does not have access to the Internet in the first place, and can only connect to the North Korean intranet. If you visit North Korea and try to use a VPN, it is illegal and you may be put in jail.

Iraq

Iraq also has various Internet censorships that prevent you from viewing certain apps and sites. The useof a VPN would allow access to these apps and sites, which is illegal and prohibited.

Iran

In Iran, only VPNs that have been approved by the government are allowed to be used.

Oman

It is illegal for the Omani public to use a VPN that has not been approved by the government. Companies and other organizations are allowed to use VPNs only if they have a license.

Countries Where It Is Legal with Restrictions

In Egypt, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates, the use of VPNs themselves is legal, but there are certain apps and content that cannot be accessed, so it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with the country’s circumstances before using them.

Egypt

In Egypt, the use of VPNs itself is legal, but the country cracks down on immoral behavior. This includes using video calling apps such as FaceTime and Skype, so as in other countries, use caution when using apps or accessing sites.

Turkey

Turkey is a country that blocks numerous sites and apps, including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Wikipedia. It is legal to use a VPN in Turkey, but it is important to remember that the government is actively trying to block VPN providers.

United Arab Emirates

In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), VPNs are legal as long as they are not used for criminal purposes. If you commit a crime and are found to have used a VPN, you will incur additional penalties. Note that in the UAE, there are certain types of content that are prohibited, such as gambling and pornography, and viewing this information is also considered illegal.

Countries Where It Is Legal but Effectively Restricted

While there is nothing wrong with using a VPN per se, Syria and Uganda are two countries where the government has placed de facto restrictions on the use of VPNs.

Syria

In Syria, VPN use itself is legal, but the government is attacking the VPN protocol and some VPN connections are being blocked.

Uganda

Uganda introduced a social media tax in 2018. Many citizens have started using VPNs to avoid this tax, and the government is blocking VPN connections. The use of VPNs is legal, but there are effectively significant restrictions on the use of VPNs.

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