VPN usage skyrockets in DR Congo amid TikTok and X shutdown

People across the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have turned to VPN services en masse as access to TikTok and X apps has been restricted.

Proton VPN, one of the best VPN services to bypass these types of internet blocks, recorded a spike in sign-ups of 7000% above baseline, starting from Saturday, February 1, 2025 – the day restrictions allegedly began.

"As conflict intensifies in the Democratic Republic of Congo, people are turning to VPNs to get around rumored blocks to X and TikTok," David Peterson, General Manager of Proton VPN, told TechRadar.

The shutdown came only a few days after the M23 rebel group (supposedly backed by Rwanda) gained control of Goma in a major escalation to the ongoing years-long conflict, Al Jazeera reported.

At the time of writing, the real cause of the blockage isn't clear, as no official statement has been released. Congolese social media users, however, are recording difficulties in accessing social media across the country for at least two days.

As local news website Actualite.cd reported, the Central African nation's Higher Council of Audiovisual and Communication said it does not have precise information on the origin of these blockages. Nonetheless, Congolese authorities have recently criticized social platforms, especially TikTok, for the lack of control over their content.

Peterson said: "Governments and regimes blocking access to social media to control their citizen's access to information and communication is now sadly all too common at times of crisis around the world. But people, in turn, look to VPNs to preserve their access to the free internet, as we are seeing here in DR Congo."

A virtual private network (VPN) is, in fact, security software that encrypts your internet connections, while also spoofing your real IP address location. The latter skill is exactly what's needed to bypass restrictions like those in place in DR Congo.

Google Play restricted

While citizens across DR Congo are increasingly looking to download VPN apps, access to these resources may also be restricted.

On Monday, February 3, 2025, internet watchdog NetBlocks reported that the Google Play Store is also blocked "in an apparent bid to stop users downloading VPN apps to bypass restrictions targeting X and TikTok."

Commenting on this, Peterson from Proton VPN said the team is closely monitoring the situation, pointing out how an impediment to VPN access "would constitute a further blow to people's right to access information."

He said: "As of right now, Proton VPN appears to be working well in DR Congo. If a block to VPN apps on the Google Play Store or the Proton VPN website does materialize, we recommend people download the Proton VPN app directly from Github."

In case the grip on VPN apps intensifies, I suggest checking out alternative circumventing software. Tools like Tor Browser and FreeBrowser (Android only), for example, can also help you bypass internet restrictions and are completely free to use.