The world is becoming increasingly threatened by freedom of speech. Authoritarian governments and other regimes that are active block the entry of social media sites, censor the voices of opponents and other like-minded information sharing activities by censoring the internet. The use of social media such as Twitter (which currently takes the form of X) has turned out to be essential means of using the media to distribute information, mobilize movements, and practice basic human rights by journalists, activists, and even ordinary citizens. In cases where the governments block them, people are denied access to important communication networks. Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) are very important digital devices that help individuals to bypass censorship, obtain important information, and engage in free speech irrespective of geographical or political limitations. The fact that VPN can be used to secure freedom of expression makes it important to the human rights in the world.
Social Media Censorship by the Government
Many states censor or totally prohibit use of Twitter and other popular social sites. China has the most advanced censorship system in the world that censors its access to practically all nearly all the large social media sites used by the west. In Russia, VPN blocking has become more vigorous, and by October 2024, over 197 VPN services have been blocked by the authorities, and the citizens are no longer able to access independent sources of information. Iran blocks social media during protests and elections. Pakistan, Turkey and most other countries block out platforms on a regular basis to quell dissent.
These blocks use several tricks: ISPs use the redirection of the traffic to the blocked domains, DNS filtering does not allow the addresses of platforms to be resolved, and deep packet analysis recognizes and blocks VPN traffic. The given reason may be different- national security, the fight against extremism, or the control of misinformation, but the outcome will always be the same: citizens are not allowed to use information and platforms that the governments consider to be dangerous
How VPNs Enable Free Speech
VPNs cipher the traffic on the internet such that the content of messages cannot be read by the ISP, the government, and other intercepting parties. They direct the traffic to the remote server in some other countries and hide your actual location and IP address. When users in censored countries access VPN servers in the free countries, they will seem to be accessing them in those countries and geographic blocks to block access to the platform will be circumvented.
VPN technology can also be used by individuals who wish to unblock Twitter and use a free speech site in a restrictive environment. Using servers in the country with free internet access, people access the blocked websites, which allows them to be part of the discussions all over the world and read free information.
The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression has particularly listed VPNs as an important tool to freedom of expression, by saying that: “encryption and anonymity are crucial to human rights, since they give individuals and groups on the internet a space of privacy where they can hold opinions and exercise their freedom of expression without arbitrary and unlawful intrusion. To LGBTI+ people in places where sexual orientation has been criminalized, and dissidents in regimes where authoritarianism is the norm, and journalists in areas where they feel oppressed, VPNs are lifeboats to knowledge, community, and expression.
Safeguarding Marginalized Voices
Other than circumventing blocked sites, VPNs guard anonymous expression. The reports about corruption, the demonstrations organized by the activists, and the citizens who comment on the sensitive issues are harassed, prosecuted, and even are killed. Anonymity in VPNs helps preserve identity when engaging in important discussions on human rights, accountability in governments and social justice.
Human rights abuses, government atrocities and social movements are documented through social media. By blocking such sites, the governments are silencing victims and suppressing evidence. VPNs will allow the continuation of documentation and information exchange despite the attempts of censorship.
Conclusion
VPNs are essential in upholding free speech in any location around the world since they allow people to get access to sites that are banned and also secure anonymous expression. With the increased censorship by governments, VPNs emerge as more crucial mechanisms to guarantee human rights and maintain democratic involvement and guard the voiceless. To every individual who believes in promotion of freedom of speech in the world, the awareness and encouragement of VPN technology in bypassing censorship is a key advocacy to human dignity and democratic freedom in the world at large.