- TikTok, YouTube, Facebook and Telegram now restricted in Cameroon
- The blockage follows internet outages that began on October 23 amid post-election unrest.
- Proton VPN has recorded a 3000% increase in registrations in the country
In a move that further isolates its citizens from the outside world, Cameroonian authorities have reportedly blocked access to a number of major social media platforms.
The outage, which affects services such as TikTok, YouTube, Facebook and Telegram, comes on the heels of major and ongoing internet outages that began on October 23, 2025, amid widespread protests over the country’s disputed presidential election.
The initial disruptions were confirmed by internet monitoring organization NetBlocks, which warned at the time that the measures would limit media coverage and the flow of information as political tensions rose.
Switzerland-based VPN provider Proton VPN has witnessed a massive increase in demand from the Central African nation.
According to its Internet Censorship Observatory, the company recorded a staggering 3,000% increase in new user signups from Cameroon on October 23, the day the initial internet outages began.
This dramatic increase highlights a clear trend: when governments attempt to shut down the Internet, citizens will actively seek tools to defend themselves and stay connected.
This new targeted ban on social media represents a major escalation in the government’s efforts to control the narrative and stifle dissent following the re-election of President Paul Biya, 92, who is set to extend his 43-year rule.
Protests have broken out in several major cities after the opposition alleged widespread irregularities and electoral fraud. The government response has been harsh, with reports of clashes between security forces and protesters.
By blocking access to social media platforms, which are supposedly crucial for organizing, reporting and communicating in real time, the government appears to be attempting to stifle the growing protest movement and prevent images and videos of the unrest from being shared globally.
Citizens turn to VPNs as a digital lifeline
In the face of this widespread censorship, many Cameroonians are turning to circumvention tools to claim their digital freedom.
One of the main beneficiaries of this trend has been the market for the best VPN services. This is because a virtual private network (VPN) encrypts a user’s Internet connection and routes it through a server in a different location, effectively bypassing local censorship and allowing access to blocked sites and services.
As CEO of Proton VPN, David Peterson wrote in a tweet: “Since [October 23]”VPN usage has continued to increase, catapulting Cameroon into our top 5 countries with free VPN use.”
Recognizing the urgent need for reliable access, Proton VPN has actively responded to the crisis.
On November 5, the company announced that it had added eight new exit nodes in Cameroon to its server network through its Smart Routing feature. Here connections are rerouted through France and the United Kingdom to allow unrestricted Internet access while also providing a local IP address, explains Peterson.
The move is designed to provide more stable and faster connections for users within the country, making it easier for them to bypass blockages and access the open Internet safely.
This rapid deployment of new infrastructure underscores the critical role that VPN providers can play during periods of political upheaval and censorship.
Anyone in Cameroon can sign up for the Proton VPN Free service here. However, as a company spokesperson explained to TechRadar, the new Smart Routing Cameroon servers are exclusive to paid users. Free users can still access the free servers spread across 8 locations around the world.
“But continuing with our ‘free servers for elections’ campaign from last year, we have made this more flexible and universal by offering a month of premium Proton VPN for $1 (or a similar token amount in local currency) during such critical periods,” Proton said.
If you need more access, you can try the paid version of the plan here:
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