KARACHI – Proton, an internet privacy company based in Switzerland, announced its plan on Wednesday to provide a network of free VPN servers for countries with upcoming elections, where censorship and repression are prevalent issues.
Proton said that monitoring the demand for its VPN services helps identify government crackdowns on free speech early on.
The initiative aims at assisting the local populations in bypassing government censorship and combating misinformation during election periods.
Over the past year, Proton observed significant spikes in demand for its VPN services, especially in Nepal, Pakistan, Gabon, and Senegal, in response to political or civil unrest.
Proton identified Venezuela, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, and Turkey as some of the countries where it plans to provide free servers during elections.
Given the global significance of elections in 2024, Proton emphasized the importance of offering widespread access to VPN services to circumvent internet censorship and access information freely.
In addition to its encrypted email service, Proton stated that it would offer free local servers to users in election countries two weeks before and after key elections, utilizing smart routing technology to bypass government restrictions.
Andy Yen, the CEO of Proton, highlighted the critical role of protecting free speech and combating censorship in promoting democratic processes globally.
