Current internet restrictions by country
Internet censorship changes fast. These country guides are reviewed on an ongoing basis so you know what's blocked right now, whether VPNs are legal, and how to stay connected — before you travel or relocate.
| Country | Censorship level | VPN legality | Last reviewed |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | Extreme | VPNs are heavily restricted. | Jun 19, 2026 |
| Iran | Extreme | Iran heavily restricts circumvention tools; only state-sanctioned services are considered lawful and unauthorized VPNs operate outside official approval. | Jun 24, 2026 |
| Russia | High | Russia has restricted VPNs that do not comply with domestic rules and moved to block non-compliant services, though millions of people continue to use them. | Jun 25, 2026 |
| Pakistan | High | VPNs are widely used in Pakistan, and the telecom regulator (PTA) maintains a registration framework for certain VPN users, particularly businesses. | Jun 26, 2026 |
| United Arab Emirates | High | VPNs are legal for lawful purposes in the UAE. | Jun 21, 2026 |
| Saudi Arabia | High | VPNs are widely used in Saudi Arabia and there is no blanket ban on the technology, but accessing content that is illegal under local law remains an offence regardless of the tool used. | Jun 22, 2026 |
| Qatar | Moderate | VPNs are legal for lawful use in Qatar. | Jun 23, 2026 |
China 
Iran 
Russia 
Pakistan 
United Arab Emirates 
Saudi Arabia 
Qatar China
A current guide to internet censorship in China: what the Great Firewall blocks, whether VPNs are legal, and how to stay connected. Reviewed regularly.
View restrictions →Iran
A current guide to Iran internet censorship: which platforms are blocked, how protest shutdowns work, and why obfuscation is essential to stay online.
View restrictions →Russia
A current guide to Russia internet censorship: which platforms are blocked, how VPN crackdowns work, and why obfuscation is needed to stay online.
View restrictions →Pakistan
A current guide to Pakistan internet restrictions: which platforms face periodic blocks, how PTA VPN registration works, and how people stay connected.
View restrictions →United Arab Emirates
A current guide to UAE internet restrictions: which VoIP calling apps are blocked, whether VPNs are legal, and how residents and visitors stay connected.
View restrictions →Saudi Arabia
A current guide to Saudi Arabia internet restrictions: what content is filtered, how the rules are evolving, and how people stay connected responsibly.
View restrictions →Qatar
A current guide to Qatar internet restrictions: which VoIP apps are affected, what content is filtered, whether VPNs are legal, and how visitors connect.
View restrictions →About these restriction guides
How often are these restriction pages updated?
Each country page carries a 'last reviewed' date and is updated whenever policies change. Censorship regimes adjust their blocking frequently, so we track and revise these pages on an ongoing basis.
Which countries censor the internet the most?
China's Great Firewall is the most sophisticated, followed by regimes such as Iran, Turkmenistan and North Korea. Others — the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Russia and Pakistan — apply heavy but more targeted restrictions.
Can a VPN bypass these restrictions?
A VPN with obfuscation — like Veilock — disguises its traffic as ordinary HTTPS, which defeats the deep packet inspection these countries use to detect and block VPNs. Set it up before you arrive, since VPN sites are often blocked locally.
Traveling somewhere restricted?
Set up Veilock before you go and keep access to the open internet.