Blocking of TikTok in New Caledonia: the use of VPNs explodes to circumvent the ban

The ban on TikTok in New Caledonia is doing business… for VPNs. For a few hours, registrations for Proton VPN or even NordVPN explode, in order to circumvent the ban put in place.

It was yesterday, the high commissioner on the French Pacific territory, Mr. Louis le Franc, banned the TikTok network in New Caledonia. A decision to say the least historic, at the very limit of legality, but permitted thanks to the state of emergency declared on the island.

VPN registrations explode in New Caledonia

The blocking of TikTok in New Caledonia therefore resonates as a historic first in France, and the decision literally caused the use of VPNs to explode. Indeed, according to the latest figures, Proton VPN, like NordVPN, has experienced a massive increase in users, with an increase of 2,500% for the first compared to the beginning of May, and 500% for the second.

According to a Proton VPN spokesperson, reported by Tech & Co: “ People turn to VPNs during times of unrest to access free internet and bypass blockages. Online censorship is increasing at an alarming rate and is clearly no longer just the preserve of authoritarian regimes. »

A “worrying development” according to Proton VPN

Remember that the blocking of TikTok currently in force in New Caledonia applies to all smartphones in circulation on the island, the latter being connected to a single operator. A boon for VPN providers, who regularly see their number of users explode over measures aimed (most of the time) at blocking social networks.

And while shutting down social media is a very common measure in times of political crisis, it is generally limited to the most authoritarian countries in the world. Proton thus considers the French decision as “ a worrying development “.

The blocking of TikTok was decided because the Chinese application is suspected of having allowed calls for violence and messages of hatred to pass. In the summer of 2023, Emmanuel Macron had already put forward the idea of ​​blocking social networks in France, following the death of Nahel Merzouk.

Source : Tech & Co