Are VPNs Legal?

We all know that VPNs are extremely powerful tools. Aside from the protection against viruses and hacking threats, they can also effectively safeguard our privacy from government surveillance. With that said, an important question is raised: Are VPNs considered illegal?

If we’re going to weigh the pros and cons, we also have to look at the side which VPNs favour more. And as new regulations emerge regarding the use and control of how the internet is being used, it’s safe to say that whether VPNs are to be considered illegal or not would highly depend on which country you live in.

Should VPNs be Made Illegal?

With all the known features and capabilities of VPNs, governments from various parts of the world which rely on online surveillance and censorship recognize this as crucial impediment in their efforts to detect and stop criminal activities on their tracks. Consequently, some governments are now shifting their focus on banning the use of VPNs within their scope of authority. While VPNs has the capability to be used for criminal purposes, the banning of these tools will prevent the general public from enjoying the use of free internet, the way it was meant to be.

As mentioned earlier, you can either look at the good or bad side of VPNs (or anything for that matter), and totally miss out the point. In this case, if numbers can justify the use of VPNs, a wide majority would still say that they use VPNs for the positive things they get out of it, which clearly does not include its usage for criminal activities.

Here are some of the benefits which users get from VPNs:

• Remaining secure when using public Wi-Fi on your travels.
• Promoting online freedom and dodging censorship when living in or going to an oppressive state.
• Getting access to geo-restricted websites and services from other countries or those from back home when you’re overseas.
• Looking up for information and keeping communications secure and private when dealing with sensitive topics, as when journalists conduct investigative research on corruption.
• Working with sensitive business methodologies or other relevant data that must be kept secure at all costs.
• Surfing the internet while keeping your activities private and secure.

Where Are VPNs Considered Illegal?

Generally speaking, VPNs are currently legal in most parts of the world. However, they would be only considered legal if they meet certain requirements which greatly compromise the security and privacy they offer.  

Some of the countries which officially ban the use of VPNs include China, Belarus, Russia, North Korea, Egypt, Iraq, Oman, Turkey, Turkmenistan, and the United Arab Emirates.

And while we personally understand why we choose to use a VPN service such as VPN Surf, it’s also good to take extra precautions especially now that we identified the countries which do not favour the usage of VPNs. And while we do not encourage anyone to break or to challenge the law, we also believe that it is our duty to fight for our rights and to keep the internet free for all, just as how it was implimented. The most important thing is your intent or purpose for using VPNs, or any kind of technological tool for that matter.