How Turkmenistan Censors Internet to Sell VPNs
11 days ago
- #internet censorship
- #corruption
- #Turkmenistan
- Turkmenistan's internet censorship is severe, with vast parts of the internet blocked without concern for collateral damage.
- The country is ruled autocratically, ranking poorly in global freedom and transparency indexes.
- Corruption is systemic, with human rights violations including forced labor and restrictions on women.
- Online censorship is enforced by the state, with social media and messaging apps blocked, costing the economy significantly.
- The Cyber Security Department in Turkmenistan profits from censorship by selling VPN access and IP whitelisting services.
- A brief 'Internet Amnesty' in 2024 saw reduced censorship, but it quickly returned, with officials resuming their VPN sales.
- The censorship and VPN sales are described as state-sponsored extortion, creating a profitable market for officials.