- Surfshark has partnered with Internews to provide free VPN protection
- The company helps journalists and activists in nine high-risk countries
- Surfshark joins other humanitarian VPN programs to protect press freedom
Surfshark has partnered with Internews, an international nonprofit, nonpartisan media support organization, to provide journalists and advocates with access to free VPN protection.
The partnership equips 100 media outlets and civil society organizations in nine repressive and war-torn regions with encrypted connections that mask IP addresses and bypass state-imposed firewalls. This protects journalists from surveillance, protects their sources, and allows them to verify facts and publish content without fear of internet outages.
Surfshark already offers an emergency VPN initiative, and this latest effort joins a growing number of VPN-powered humanitarian projects, including programs from some of the best VPN services.
Securing the front lines
Internews-Surfshark Partnersp supplies fully paid subscriptions to Surfshark One to 100 media organizations and civil society organizations operating in nine high-risk countries.
Surfshark One includes the core virtual private network (VPN) software with a suite of complementary security tools, including Surfshark Antivirus and data leak alerts, all protected by 256-bit AES encryption, a built-in kill switch, and an independently audited no-logs policy.
Surfshark One’s all-in-one package allows journalists to stay online even when governments block or throttle VPN traffic, while also defending against malware and alerting users if their personal data appears in a breach.
As part of the support, Internews organized a digital security training in Kampala for Sudanese journalists and civil society activists. Participants received practical guidance on how VPNs work, the specific threats they mitigate, and how to integrate the full Surfshark One toolset into daily reporting practice.
Trusted VPN services like Surfshark give journalists and activists the anonymity and data protection they need to work safely in hostile environments. By masking IP addresses and enforcing a strict no-logs policy, a VPN makes it harder for authorities to track who is accessing or posting sensitive material. The encrypted tunnel ensures that everything from documents to video files travels without interception or manipulation.
Built-in security tools, such as Surfshark ad blockers and trackers, anti-malware scanners, and breach alert services, also help protect devices from hacking attempts that could otherwise expose fonts or compromise credentials.
When these safeguards work together, journalists can verify facts, securely transmit images and keep contacts safe, which can mean the difference between a story reaching the public and a community being kept in the dark.
VPN providers implement humanitarian programs to protect journalists
Surfshark’s latest partnership with Internews builds on a history of humanitarian work. Surfshark has already operated an emergency VPN service that provides free credentials to journalists and activists whose regular connections are blocked or interrupted.
It’s also not the only VPN provider taking this approach. NordVPN and IPVanish also run comparable emergency VPN schemes that grant temporary, free access to journalists in crisis zones.
Beyond emergency access, ExpressVPN maintains a digital security resource library that brings together tools, training, and best practice guides specifically for journalists and activists. Proton VPN extends an exclusive discount for its Proton for Business plan to media organizations.
Therefore, reliable and unrestricted Internet access, reinforced by a comprehensive cybersecurity package, is a cornerstone of press freedom in any high-risk environment.
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