Internet Censorship In Uzbekistan

Freedom House lists Uzbekistan as “Not Free” when it comes to its internet. The government actively blocks social media platforms, blogs, apps, VoIP, and a lot of political and social content.

In other words, you won’t be able to access most of the websites that you’re used to. The government also publicly monitors all communications traffic in the country.

Internet Censorship In Uzbekistan

To add to all of that, regional restrictions will prevent you from accessing some of your favorite streaming sites. Laws and regulations on the internet in Uzbekistan have been changed recently in reaction to political events, especially the 2005 violence in Andijan.

As a result, the national security services now play a large role in internet regulation, and changes made to the legal code and state technological infrastructure ensure centralized control. As of 2012, Uzbekistan has the most severe restrictions on internet use in Central Asia.

Yet despite the efforts of the government to control user activity, the internet serves a valuable purpose for Uzbeks willing and able to circumvent state prohibitions. The internet is the sole public forum that Uzbeks have for discussing controversial matters like politics and religion and for reporting on social and political problems.

Moreover, as Uzbekistan becomes increasingly insular, the internet provides a vital link to the outside world. The spread of social media and mobile phones has challenged state control over access to information on the internet in Uzbekistan, but has had little effect on political organization or mobilization. The control the Uzbek state wields over internet use is not only practical, but ideological and psychological.

As it is, it appears there is little that can be done to change the censorious and repressive policies of the Uzbekistan administration, which remains untroubled by the fact that its restrictions on online media contradict the precepts of Uzbekistan’s constitution.

Outside of Uzbekistan, Uzbeks continue to use the internet to document Uzbekistan’s political situation and provide forums for open discussion of Uzbek affairs. As internet use continues to skyrocket in Uzbekistan, the government will devise new ways to censor information, monitor social and political interaction, and use online media to promote their own goals and objectives.

Given the state of the internet in Uzbekistan it is important to support initiatives aimed at helping Uzbeks read and participate in media, the solution might be to use a VPN.

A VPN, which is short for Virtual Private Network, is a cybersecurity tool that adds a layer of privacy, security, and anonymity to your internet use. What a VPN does is encrypt your data and re-route your traffic through a secure “tunnel” on its own servers.

This will prevent any third-party, including a government entity, from monitoring your traffic. In other words, you block any possible surveillance the moment you connect to a VPN.

As an added bonus, re-routing your traffic automatically changes your IP address. Most blocks work by detecting the IP of incoming connection requests and blocking IPs from regions they want to restrict.

Country-wide website bans work within the same parameters. The only difference is that the ISPs in the country impose the IP blocks, not the websites themselves. In both cases, changing your IP address works to bypass those restrictions.

What a VPN can do

Avoid Eavesdropping

It is all too easy for third party internet users to eavesdrop on your connection. It’s not as easy to do if you are on a private network such as home or office but it is very easy if you are working on a public connection such as those found in airports and Internet cafes.

The biggest problem with them is that the connections are not encrypted, and often do not even require a password which makes them prime locations for malicious people who want to compromise your privacy.

If you don’t believe it is possible to eavesdrop across the internet all you have to do is look to the hundreds of legal apps out there intended for purposes such as monitoring your kids’ activities, checking up on your employees or tracking your spouse. Now imagine what a hacker can do.

To avoid this problem use, you guessed it, a VPN. A virtual private network will not only route your connection through a private network, it can also encrypt your data and hide your computer or cellphone from the public.

Unlock Geo-Restricted Content

Unlocking Geo-restricted content is a great reason why you should use a VPN. Websites like Netflix and Hulu are full of content that is often restricted due to copyright laws or censorship, and have different content libraries for different countries.

They, the content provider, may be available in your country but that does not mean that all the content on that site will be available to you. Other reasons for Geo-blocking are due to licensing agreements and the practice of price discrimination, when the price of content is different for one viewer or provider than it is for another.

This problem can be overcome by using a VPN with a server in the country of origin, effectively making you appear to be located there too. Of course, some content providers are actively blocking VPN’s so that viewers cannot evade the restrictions, Le VPN is one service that is able to overcome this problem.

Avoid Detection When Researching the Competition

There are times when anonymity is crucial to your success. Take for example internet research. Anytime you visit a website a log is kept of your visit. The webmaster can then use Google Analytics and other tools to follow the digital trail you leave and discover who you are and your interest in their site.

If you are researching a competitor, or any other website you would like to not know of your visit, you can use a VPN. The website will still log your visit, but you will be logged as a random user with an IP address other than your own. It is possible they will be able to back track the visit to the VPN, but that is where the trail will stop.

Avoid “The List”

Agencies around the world, ranging from the MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) to the NSA, the GCHQ (The UK’s Government Communications Headquarters) and many, many others are constantly monitoring the internet looking for illegally shared and downloaded information.

Not all data downloads and file shares are illegal but this doesn’t stop them from putting you on their watch list if they can identify you. Most of the Torrent services will provide some level of security but the problem is that they are most often not effective at preventing ID leaks. If you want to legally download and share files without winding up on one of these lists a VPN is the only way to go.

Protect Your VOIP Communication

One of the more unique uses for VPN is protecting your VOIP (Voice-Over-Internet-Provider). Services like Skype and other VOIP protocols are becoming more and more difficult to break but they are by no means immune to censors, hackers and Geo-restrictions.

All it takes to break into one of these connections is a mid-level understanding of internet protocols and a search across the web for instructions on how to do it. The risks of interception increase if your call originates from a country in which the internet is heavily monitored or blocked.

Needless to say, this makes keeping private calls private a bit of a challenge but it can be done, by using a VPN.

How to get Uzbekistan VPN service?

It is relatively simple and straightforward process to get a VPN in Uzbekistan. Follow these six easy steps to sign up and install any of the best VPNs on your device:

  1. Choose VPN service from a list of best VPNs for Uzbekistan.
  2. Open your chosen VPN’s website and click to sign up.
  3. Decide on your preferred pricing plan and make a subscription.
  4. Find installation files on VPN Uzbekistan website and download on your devices.
  5. Open the software or app on your device and log in with your credentials.
  6. You’re all set to select a server and stay secure or protected when surfing the web in Uzbekistan.

Best VPN for Uzbekistan

NordVPN Homepage

1. NordVPN

NordVPN is a top choice of all the VPNs suitable for Uzbek users. NordVPN has more than 3500 servers in 61 countries including servers in Uzbekistan. It provides mobile apps available on the Android and iOS devices. Also, it has a desktop client on MacOS and Windows operating systems, and proxy extensions for Chrome and Firefox.

NordVPN RSA-2048 key encryption provides a full focus on customers’ online privacy. It offers anonymous internet browsing and protection from ISPs and government of Uzbekistan. Also, it lets you access blocked content and services when at home in Uzbekistan and while traveling abroad. Moreover, many people in Uzbekistan choose NordVPN for privacy while torrenting.

ExpressVPN Homepage

2. ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN, a current leader and our Editor’s top choice of all the Uzbek VPN service providers. It has more than two thousand servers in 94 countries around the world. VPN server locations include countries like Argentina, Canada, Turkey, Mexico, and even Uzbekistan.

Uzbek ExpressVPN is compatible with all the key devices and operating systems. It provides software and mobile apps for Uzbek users. It also has browser extensions on Chrome, Firefox, and Safari.

ExpressVPN’s 256-bit AES encryption provides a full focus on customers’ online privacy. It offers internet browsing protection from the Uzbek government and ISPs. It unblocks sites and streaming services and provides privacy while torrenting.

Furthermore, you can use Uzbekistan ExpressVPN as a MediaStreamer on your PlayStation, Xbox, AppleTV, Amazon FireTV, Routers and other devices.

Ivacy VPN  homepage

3. Ivacy VPN

Ivacy is our third choice from all the top VPN providers for Uzbekistan. It has more than 450+ servers in 100+ locations, in 50+ countries, including Uzbekistan. Ivacy has applications for Android, iPhone, and iPad devices.

Also, it provides software for Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems. Ivacy VPN for Uzbekistan provides 256-bit strong encryption with a focus on users’ online privacy and anonymity. Choose to unblock sites and services, and gain online freedom, privacy while torrenting with Ivacy as your VPN service provider.

Choosing a VPN

You must keep in mind that the first thing that you must do while selecting the most suitable VPN service for yourself is to get to know your needs and requirements well. The market is rampant with options when it comes to VPN services; the trick here is to choose the best one for you.