Mobile connectivity in Mozambique appears to be recovering after a three-day curfew internet shutdown, but social media platforms remain restricted and usage of the best VPNs has spiked in the past week.

The first restrictions occurred on October 25, according to data from VPN provider Surfshark's Internet Shutdown Tracker. Mobile Internet traffic was disrupted due to protests following the announcement of presidential election results. The second restriction took place on October 31, affecting access to Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. Additional mobile Internet outages affected TikTok, Telegram, and YouTube; a three-day mobile Internet curfew began on November 3.

VPN usage in Mozambique has skyrocketed, with Proton VPN reporting a 127,830% increase over the baseline. In addition, Google search terms for “VPN” in Mozambique have spiked significantly in recent weeks.

The blackout was in response to ongoing deadly protests challenging the results of recent government elections. Mozambique's electoral commission announced that the ruling Frelimo party had won, extending its 49 years in power. Opposition candidates, civil society groups, and observers said the election was rigged.

Mobile phone access appears to be returning, but social media platforms remain restricted as authorities continue to take steps to curb protests. Social media is a common target of government restrictions: according to Surfshark data, Facebook is the most common platform restricted by governments, with 46% of the global population affected by government shutdowns of Facebook, most common messaging app restricted by governments, with 45% of the world's population affected. Protests are the main cause of social media disruption. Facebook alone has been disrupted 40 times during protests since 2015.

Mozambique was not the only country to see a spike in VPN usage last year; according to data from Proton VPN, Pakistan, Senegal, Kyrgyzstan, Kenya, and Bangladesh were just some of the countries that saw increased VPN usage after unrest, protests, and power outages.

VPNs encrypt and protect your data online, but they also allow you to circumvent location restrictions; VPNs spoof your IP address so that you are accessing the Internet from a different country than where you are actually based It makes it look like you are accessing the Internet from a different country than the one you are actually based in.

The data we are seeing shows that people in Mozambique are already using VPNs to bypass blackouts and access blocked social media sites. People have the right to freely access the Internet without censorship or restrictions. In recent years, restrictive government actions have increased and tools such as VPNs used to circumvent restrictions have been cracked down on. Countries such as North Korea, Turkey, and Egypt have some of the strictest VPN laws. Russia and China are also cracking down on VPN use amid increased censorship and surveillance, with Russia banning 60 VPNs since July. VPNs are still available in these countries, but are becoming increasingly difficult to use.

Proton VPN has been active in this circle, recently launching a series of anti-censorship features. These include inconspicuous icons, the launch of virtual servers, and the introduction of stealth encryption. Proton and many other VPN services continue to fight back against government restrictions, giving people the freedom and ability to access the Internet unrestricted and protect their privacy.