Access to social media platforms in Turkey has been restored after 42 hours of shutdownProton VPN has recorded a spike of +1100% starting from March 19, 2025, the day restrictions were enforcedMany X accounts have then been blocked upon Turkish authorities’ orders
On March 21, 2025, Turkish authorities lifted the ban on social media platforms after 42 hours of being enforced. Yet, VPN usage remains high as mass demonstrations continue.
Citizens began turning to the best VPN apps to keep accessing the likes of X, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, and WhatsApp from March 19, the day restrictions were enforced. Proton VPN, for example, recorded a spike in signups of +1100%.
As protests sparked by the arrest of Ekrem İmamoğlu, the Mayor of Istanbul, and his opposition counterpart, continued, many X accounts of opposition figures and independent news outlets were reportedly blocked on government orders.
Turkey VPN usage skyrocketed
Experts at Proton have recorded a spike in VPN sign-ups following the arrest of Erdogan’s main political rival and reports of social media blocks. (Image credit: Proton)
“Protecting free speech and fighting censorship is a core part of our mission, and we’re committed to doing what we can to help people around the world. Unfortunately, Turkey is one such country with a poor recent history of censorship,” David Peterson, General Manager of Proton VPN, told TechRadar in a statement on Friday.
The spikes in usage have occurred despite Proton VPN being one of the 27 VPN providers restricted in Turkey
This isn’t the first time Proton VPN has recorded similar spikes in usage in Turkey.
Only in 2024 did Proton VPN signups skyrocket by 1,400% in October and 4,500% in August amid similar blocks on social media services. Also, in 2023, citizens increasingly turned to Proton VPN. The company recorded a staggering 15,000% increase in February after Twitter was blocked following a deadly earthquake and a 2,100% spike in May as citizens prepared for potential blocks ahead of the presidential elections.
The spikes in usage have occurred despite Proton VPN being one of 27 VPN providers restricted in Turkey, alongside NordVPN, ExpressVPN, Surfshark, and others. Specifically, their official websites are blocked in the country.
“Because of this, many people – especially those who aren’t familiar with VPNs – hadn’t heard of Proton VPN,” Turkish journalist Ali Safa Korkut told TechRadar, explaining that interest in the software grew following a Swiss provider’s tweet shared on March 22.
“I know people around me who are using Proton VPN without any issues,” he added.
(Image credit: Future)
While access to social media was restored around 1 am local time on Friday, internet censorship hasn’t completely stopped.
X blocked multiple accounts of political figures and students involved in the protests upon the government’s request, alongside those of journalists and independent news organizations like Bianet.
Korkut, who closely tracked these blocks from the beginning, has counted 309 X accounts blocked so far. “These include well-known journalists with 1.5 million followers as well as anonymous accounts with no followers at all,” he said, adding, “new accounts are being blocked by the minute.”
Isik Mater, Director of Research at internet watchdog NetBlocks, explains that this trend aligns with past instances where X complied with takedown requests from the Turkish government, raising concerns about platform neutrality and freedom of expression.
She told TechRadar: “Access to social media is a fundamental pillar for freedom of speech and the right to information, especially in moments of political tension or crisis. Restrictions like these not only limit public discourse but also undermine citizens’ ability to organize, communicate, and stay informed during critical events.”
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