What's Blocked Secria

What's blocked in each country, and is a VPN legal there?

China, Iran and Russia block most of the big foreign platforms, from Instagram to YouTube and X.1, 2, 3 Using a VPN is barred by law in Belarus, limited to licensed services in China and Iran, and allowed in India and Turkey.4, 1, 2, 5, 6

Checked 28 October 2026 · 16 countries · Sources

See the countriesRecent shutdowns
313Internet shutdowns in 52 countries in 20253
94Blocks of apps such as Facebook and WhatsApp, in 40 countries in 20253
88 daysIran's nationwide shutdown, February to May 20267

What each country blocks, and its VPN rules

Sixteen countries people search for, chosen because every cell could be sourced. Each status comes from a law, a regulator, independent research or a named news outlet, with the date the block began where the source gives one, and was checked against OONI network tests where OONI measures the service.

CountryUsing a VPNMajor apps and sites blockedShutdowns
China Licensed onlyUnlicensed VPNs banned since 20171 Google search, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, X, WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, Wikipedia1Most OONI website tests of these showed signs of blocking, September to October 20268 2 in 20253Chinese authorities also cut mobile internet to border villages in Myanmar in 20253
Russia RestrictedVPNs that don't block banned sites are blocked; advertising VPNs banned since March 20249 WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram, Facebook, X, YouTube, Signal, Discord, Viber, FaceTime, Snapchat3WhatsApp blocked from February 2026, the Kremlin confirmed10; Telegram on many networks from 20 March 202611 Regional mobile cut-offs; one in Moscow lasted 19 days in March 202612
United Arab Emirates RestrictedUsing one to commit a crime can mean jail and a fine of up to AED 2 million13. VPNs are not banned outright, but Freedom House says using one for blocked calling apps is punishable14 WhatsApp and FaceTime calls, Viber, Signal, as of May 202414WhatsApp calls were still restricted in May 202615; messages work, with no sign of blocking in OONI tests, September to October 202616 1 in 20253
India AllowedLegal; providers must keep customer records for 5 years, since 20225, 17 TikTok, since June 202018Telegram was blocked 16 to 22 June 2026, during exams19 65 in 2025, second only to Myanmar3
Turkey AllowedNo legal ban, but the regulator ordered 17 VPN services blocked in late 20236 Discord, since October 202420, 21Instagram was blocked for nine days in August 202422 YouTube, X, Instagram and WhatsApp throttled for 12 hours on 7 September 2025235 in 20253
Saudi Arabia UnclearWebsites of major VPN providers are blocked24 WhatsApp calls, as of June 202424; Tinder, since 29 July 202625 1 in 20253
Iran Licensed onlyUnlicensed VPNs prohibited since February 20242 Instagram, YouTube, X, Facebook, Telegram, Signal, TikTok2, 26Most people are confined to a domestic network; global access is tiered and costly27 Nationwide, 28 February to 26 May 2026, 88 days28, 7
Egypt UnclearProton VPN's website blocked since June 202329 Roblox, ordered blocked in February 202630Several internet calling services, as of May 202531 None recorded in 20253
Pakistan RestrictedThe regulator began licensing VPN providers in November 2025; major VPNs reported blocked from December 202532, 33 Telegram, since December 202334, 35X was blocked from February 2024 to May 202536 20 in 2025, third most worldwide3
Belarus BannedBarred by law since 2015, though many VPNs still worked through 20244 No major platform nationwide; over 14,000 web resources, including independent media, as of September 20244, 37 Foreign websites restricted 25 to 27 January 2025, around the election37
Myanmar BannedThe military-run ministry ordered a nationwide VPN ban in May 202438 Facebook, Instagram, X, WhatsApp, Signal38Most OONI website tests of these showed signs of blocking, September to October 202639 95 in 2025, the most of any country3
Jordan RestrictedA 2023 law sets penalties for proxies and tools like Tor; several VPNs blocked since 202140 TikTok since December 2022, Clubhouse40Most OONI tests of TikTok still showed signs of blocking, September to October 202641 5 in 20253Messaging apps blocked near exam centres, June 202542
Iraq AllowedNo significant limits on encryption or anonymity, as of mid-202443 No major platform; Telegram was blocked for several days in August 202343 Short shutdowns during exams, most recently 28 September 202644
Uganda UnclearNo VPN blocking seen from June 2023 to May 202445 Facebook on some mobile networks, since January 202145, 46 Nationwide, 13 to 18 January 2026, around the election47
Tanzania UnclearProton VPN blocked on some networks, probably since August 202248 X, since May 202549 Nationwide, 29 October to 3 November 2025, around the election50
Afghanistan Unclear TikTok and the game PUBG, ordered banned in April 202251 Nationwide, 29 September to 1 October 202552
 Statuses as of 28 October 2026. Shutdown counts are Access Now's for 2025, which include blocks of messaging and social apps.
Not legal adviceThis page reports what laws, regulators, researchers and news reports say. VPN rules are often vague and enforced unevenly, so if you are travelling, check the destination government's own guidance.

Recent internet shutdowns

Internet cut-offs since September 2025, newest first, with who ordered each one where the sources say. Access Now counted 313 shutdowns worldwide in 2025, a record; it counts blocks of messaging and social apps as shutdowns too.3, 53

CountryWhenScopeWhat happened
EthiopiaFrom 25 Sep 2026Tigray regionA 10-day shutdown as fighting resumed in the region; who ordered it is disputed44, 54
IraqJul to Sep 2026Exam hours18 shutdowns of 15 to 90 minutes each, timed to exams44
Sudan13 to 23 Apr 2026Exam hours10 shutdowns of about 3.5 hours each, during national exams7
Iran28 Feb to 26 May 2026Nationwide88 days almost entirely offline after US and Israeli strikes began; once access returned, traffic settled at about 59% of its earlier level26, 28, 7
Republic of the Congo15 to 17 Mar 2026NationwideAbout 60 hours, over the presidential election; the authorities gave no official reason28
RussiaMar 2026Moscow, mobileMobile internet cut for 19 days12
Uganda13 to 18 Jan 2026NationwideOrdered by the Uganda Communications Commission over the election; WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram and X were blocked once access returned28, 47
IranFrom 8 Jan 2026NationwideDuring nationwide protests; traffic began to recover from 27 January26, 28
Tanzania29 Oct to 3 Nov 2025NationwideDuring the presidential election and protests50
Afghanistan29 Sep to 1 Oct 2025NationwideA full nationwide shutdown, after the Taliban ordered fibre internet cut in up to 15 provinces earlier that month52
 From Cloudflare Radar, OONI, Freedom House and named news outlets. Short regional cut-offs in India, Myanmar, Pakistan and Russia are too frequent to list one by one.

Blocked, slowed, or never offered

From a phone, all three look the same: the app doesn't work. They have different causes, and only the first two are decisions by that country's government.

Blocked by a government

Internet providers are ordered to stop the traffic. Russia did this to WhatsApp in February 2026, after restricting its calls from August 2025.10

It comes back only when the order is lifted.

Partly blocked or slowed

One feature goes, or everything gets slow. In the UAE, WhatsApp messages work but its calls are restricted.15, 16 Russia throttled YouTube from July 2024 before blocking it.55, 3

The app still opens, so the restriction is easy to miss.

Not offered by the company

Netflix is not available in China, Crimea, North Korea, Russia or Syria.56 OpenAI's list of supported countries leaves out China, Hong Kong, Russia and Iran.57

No local block is involved: the service is not offered there.

How we check

  1. We start with the order or the law

    Government orders, laws and regulators come first, then the company's own statement. Freedom House, Access Now, OONI and Cloudflare Radar fill the gaps, and named news outlets date a change.

  2. We test it against the network

    Where OONI measures a service, we compare each status with its tests from the 30 days before we publish. If they disagree, we leave the claim out until it is clear.

  3. We date every status

    Each row says when a block began, where the source gives a date, and the page says when we last checked. We re-check the table every month and whenever a country makes news.

Questions people ask

In which countries is using a VPN illegal?

Belarus has barred using VPNs and Tor by law since 2015, and Myanmar's military ordered a nationwide VPN ban in May 2024.4, 38 China and Iran allow only government-licensed VPNs.1, 2 Russia, Pakistan and Jordan restrict them in other ways, from blocking VPN services to penalising the use of proxy tools.9, 32, 40

In the UAE, using a VPN to commit a crime can bring jail and a fine of up to AED 2 million, though VPNs are not banned outright.13, 14 India requires VPN companies to keep customer records for five years.17

Is WhatsApp blocked in China, Russia or Dubai?

In China, yes: WhatsApp is one of many foreign messaging apps blocked there.1 In Russia, WhatsApp said on 12 February 2026 that the government was trying to fully block it, and the Kremlin confirmed the block.10

In Dubai and the rest of the UAE, WhatsApp messages work, but WhatsApp calls were still restricted as of May 2026.15, 16 FaceTime calls were also blocked as of May 2024.14

Is the internet back in Iran?

Partly. Iran cut most people off from 28 February 2026, and access began to return on 26 May, after 88 days. Traffic then settled at about 59% of its level before the shutdown.7 YouTube and Instagram remained heavily restricted, as they were before.26

Which country has the most internet shutdowns?

Myanmar, with at least 95 in 2025, followed by India with 65 and Pakistan with 20, according to Access Now.3 Its count includes blocks of messaging and social apps, not only full blackouts.53

Are Google and ChatGPT blocked in Hong Kong?

Google is not: OONI tests in Hong Kong from 28 September to 28 October 2026 found no sign of blocking of Google, YouTube or WhatsApp's website.58 ChatGPT is a different case. OpenAI's list of supported countries and territories, in its API documentation, leaves out Hong Kong and mainland China, and OpenAI says using its services from outside the list can get an account blocked or suspended. So that limit comes from the company.57

Is TikTok banned in India?

Yes. India's IT ministry blocked TikTok and 58 other apps on 29 June 2020, under Section 69A of the IT Act.18 Most OONI tests of TikTok in India still showed signs of blocking from 28 September to 28 October 2026.59

Sources

  1. Freedom on the Net 2024: China, section B1, Freedom House, covering June 2023 to May 2024. Read 28 October 2026.
  2. Freedom on the Net 2024: Iran, sections B1 and C4, Freedom House, covering June 2023 to May 2024. Read 28 October 2026.
  3. Rising repression meets global resistance: internet shutdowns in 2025, Access Now and the #KeepItOn coalition, March 2026. Read 28 October 2026.
  4. Freedom on the Net 2024: Belarus, sections B1 and C4, Freedom House, covering June 2023 to May 2024. Read 28 October 2026.
  5. Freedom on the Net 2024: India, section C4, Freedom House, covering June 2023 to May 2024. Read 28 October 2026.
  6. Freedom on the Net 2024: Turkey, sections B1 and B7, Freedom House, covering June 2023 to May 2024. Read 28 October 2026.
  7. Natural disasters and government interference: examining Q2 2026's major Internet disruption events, Cloudflare Radar, 28 July 2026. Read 28 October 2026.
  8. OONI Explorer: web tests in China, 28 September to 28 October 2026, Open Observatory of Network Interference. Read 28 October 2026.
  9. Freedom on the Net 2024: Russia, sections B1 and C4, Freedom House, covering June 2023 to May 2024. Read 28 October 2026.
  10. WhatsApp accuses Russian government of trying to fully block platform, The Moscow Times, 12 February 2026. Read 28 October 2026.
  11. Russia blocked Telegram, OONI, 30 March 2026. Read 28 October 2026.
  12. Freedom on the Net 2026: Seismic Shifts on the Global Internet, Freedom House, October 2026, covering June 2025 to May 2026. Read 28 October 2026.
  13. New cybercrimes law: jail, up to Dh2 million fine for circumventing IP address to commit crime (Article 10, Federal Decree-Law No. 34 of 2021), Gulf News, reporting the UAE Public Prosecution, 10 March 2022. Read 28 October 2026.
  14. Freedom on the Net 2024: United Arab Emirates, sections A3, B3, B7 and C4, Freedom House, covering June 2023 to May 2024. Read 28 October 2026.
  15. WhatsApp in UAE: Banking ban, private chat rules, new web calling feature explained, Khaleej Times, 2 May 2026. Read 28 October 2026.
  16. OONI Explorer: WhatsApp tests in the UAE, 28 September to 28 October 2026, Open Observatory of Network Interference. Read 28 October 2026.
  17. Directions under section 70B(6) of the IT Act, 2000, clause (v), CERT-In, Government of India, 28 April 2022. Read 28 October 2026.
  18. Government bans 59 mobile apps which are prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, Press Information Bureau, Ministry of Electronics and IT, 29 June 2020. Read 28 October 2026.
  19. India blocked Telegram during exams, OONI, 18 June 2026. Read 28 October 2026.
  20. Türkiye blocked Discord, OONI, 22 January 2025. Read 28 October 2026.
  21. OONI Explorer: Discord tests in Turkey, 28 September to 28 October 2026, Open Observatory of Network Interference. Read 28 October 2026.
  22. Freedom on the Net 2025: Turkey, key developments, Freedom House, covering June 2024 to May 2025. Read 28 October 2026.
  23. Turkey restricts internet access amid opposition party standoff, Euronews, 8 September 2025. Read 28 October 2026.
  24. Freedom on the Net 2024: Saudi Arabia, sections A3 and B1, Freedom House, covering June 2023 to May 2024. Read 28 October 2026.
  25. Saudi Arabia just blocked Tinder, OONI, 29 July 2026. Read 28 October 2026.
  26. Iranians are back online after a monthslong shutdown but face heavy restrictions, Associated Press (via Alabama Public Radio), 28 May 2026. Read 28 October 2026.
  27. Freedom on the Net 2026: Iran, Freedom House, October 2026. Read 28 October 2026.
  28. Shutdowns, power outages, and conflict: a review of Q1 2026 Internet disruptions, Cloudflare Radar, 28 April 2026. Read 28 October 2026.
  29. Egypt started blocking Proton privacy services, OONI, 25 November 2023. Read 28 October 2026.
  30. Egypt moves to block Roblox over child safety concerns, Egyptian Streets, 2 February 2026. Read 28 October 2026.
  31. Freedom on the Net 2025: Egypt, key developments, Freedom House, covering June 2024 to May 2025. Read 28 October 2026.
  32. Pakistan begins blocking unregistered VPN apps, TechRadar, 7 January 2026. Read 28 October 2026.
  33. Freedom on the Net 2026: Pakistan, Freedom House, October 2026. Read 28 October 2026.
  34. Pakistan blocked Telegram, OONI, 28 March 2025. Read 28 October 2026.
  35. OONI Explorer: Telegram tests in Pakistan, 28 September to 28 October 2026, Open Observatory of Network Interference. Read 28 October 2026.
  36. Freedom on the Net 2025: Pakistan, key developments, Freedom House, covering June 2024 to May 2025. Read 28 October 2026.
  37. Freedom on the Net 2025: Belarus, key developments, Freedom House, covering June 2024 to May 2025. Read 28 October 2026.
  38. Freedom on the Net 2024: Myanmar, sections B1 and C4, Freedom House, covering June 2023 to May 2024. Read 28 October 2026.
  39. OONI Explorer: web tests in Myanmar, 28 September to 28 October 2026, Open Observatory of Network Interference. Read 28 October 2026.
  40. Freedom on the Net 2024: Jordan, sections B1 and C4, Freedom House, covering June 2023 to May 2024. Read 28 October 2026.
  41. OONI Explorer: TikTok tests in Jordan, 28 September to 28 October 2026, Open Observatory of Network Interference. Read 28 October 2026.
  42. Freedom on the Net 2026: Jordan, Freedom House, October 2026. Read 28 October 2026.
  43. Freedom on the Net 2024: Iraq, sections B1 and C4, Freedom House, covering June 2023 to May 2024. Read 28 October 2026.
  44. What took the Internet offline in Q3 2026, Cloudflare Radar, 27 October 2026. Read 28 October 2026.
  45. Freedom on the Net 2024: Uganda, sections A3 and B1, Freedom House, covering June 2023 to May 2024. Read 28 October 2026.
  46. Freedom on the Net 2025: Uganda, Freedom House, covering June 2024 to May 2025. Read 28 October 2026.
  47. Uganda blocked social media following 2026 general election, OONI, 23 January 2026. Read 28 October 2026.
  48. Tanzania blocked Proton VPN, OONI, 31 March 2025. Read 28 October 2026.
  49. Tanzania blocked Twitter/X, again, OONI, 7 November 2025. Read 28 October 2026.
  50. Cable cuts, storms, and DNS: a look at Internet disruptions in Q4 2025, Cloudflare Radar, 26 January 2026. Read 28 October 2026.
  51. Taliban order TikTok, PUBG ban in entertainment crackdown, Arab News with AFP, 21 April 2022. Read 28 October 2026.
  52. Online outages: Q3 2025 Internet disruption summary, Cloudflare Radar, 28 October 2025. Read 28 October 2026.
  53. Tracking internet shutdowns: Our STOP methodology, Access Now, updated 30 March 2026. Read 28 October 2026.
  54. Internet and phone network disrupted in Ethiopia's war-hit Tigray region, Reuters (via The Star), 25 September 2026. Read 28 October 2026.
  55. Freedom on the Net 2025: Russia, key developments, Freedom House, covering June 2024 to May 2025. Read 28 October 2026.
  56. How many countries and regions is Netflix available in?, Netflix Help Center. Read 28 October 2026.
  57. Supported countries and territories, OpenAI API documentation. Read 28 October 2026.
  58. OONI Explorer: web tests in Hong Kong, 28 September to 28 October 2026, Open Observatory of Network Interference. Read 28 October 2026.
  59. OONI Explorer: TikTok tests in India, 28 September to 28 October 2026, Open Observatory of Network Interference. Read 28 October 2026.