Did you know? Out of 7.7 billion people in the world, 4 billion people still do not have access to the internet? Nearly half of the world’s population lack the world’s most important invention that transformed our lives for the better. It’s shocking how 30 years ago, no one could ever imagine what benefits the internet could bring. Today, the internet is continuously bringing positive changes to the world. Thanks to the internet, we now have faster means of communication, easy access to information, incredible connectivity, e-commerce, online banking and many more. Unfortunately, 3.7 billion people in the world are missing out on this great inventory. Below is a list of countries with limited internet access that will blow your mind.
Iran
The Internet in Iran was first introduced in 1993. Despite being the second country in the Middle East to have internet, today, the Iranian government has an intensive approach to it . The government has blocked access to more than 5 million sites in Iran because of many social-economical and religious reasons. Most of the content seen on the internet that is contradicting the Iranian government is either filtered or censored by the authorities. Iranians bypass the censorship by downloading and buying VPNs to have access to most of the sites on the internet.
China
Unlike many other countries, China’s internet regulations differ from others. The Internet is available in China, but most of the websites are not. Websites such as Facebook, YouTube, The New York Times, and even Google are all blocked. However instead, China has its own version of social networking sites, search engines, e-commerce sites that are at the same time controlled by the authorities. Similar to most of the countries where internet is limited, China uses VPN to bypass the blockage.
North Korea
According to Reporters Without Borders, North Korea has been listed in the “enemies of the internet” list. The internet in North Korea is only permitted with special authorization by the government and has its own network, called Kwangmyong. The number of internet users in North Korea is very low. Only a small fraction of people can use the internet there. That is about 4% of the population. And even if they did, they can access only a few websites which are created by the government. In addition, every single action they do on the internet is always being monitored by the authorities.
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia, the biggest oil producing country, is known for its strict Sharia laws. It is predictable that Saudi Arabia censors the internet due to religious beliefs. Unlike any other countries, Saudi Arabia has access to most of the popular western sites including social media. However, the government strictly bans websites opposing it’s Islamic beliefs or political system. For instance, VOIP apps are banned for economic and other political reasons. X-rated and online gambling sites are strictly banned due to religious beliefs. Saudi Arabia also blocks News agency websites that contradict their beliefs.
Cuba
Cuba, the land of paradise, the major touristic attraction in the world for its beautiful scenery, might surprise you to be on this list! The country has a very strict approach when it comes to internet regulation. In Cuba, the internet is only available in government-controlled areas, which means they cannot access the internet even at home. Instead, they purchase ETECSA hotspot cards that works only in 700 public areas. ETECSA is a government-owned telecommunications provider which works on a prepaid basis.
The VOIP App That Works Everywhere.
Countries with tightened control on communication have been suffering to reach out the other parts of the world for many years. Worrying about security and privacy is also becoming their major concern. Reaching people without using VPN in countries with limited internet access is almost becoming impossible. However today, there are just a few apps that actually work without VPN. One such app is Pinngle. Pinngle App is an instant messaging app that allows you to voice/video call between Pinngle users around the world.
Pinngle App works everywhere, even in the above listed countries. The app will allow you to connect with people anywhere around the globe even in hostile territories through free high-quality voice/video calls, chat, and file sharing. Moreover, Pinngle App is serverless which means, servers will not be able to store any data. For countries where the government is monitoring users’ activities, all your calls and messages with Pinngle are end-to-end encrypted. Hence, no one can access your information, not even Pinngle.
You can easily download Pinngle now from Google play or download Pinngle from AppStore.
Also published on Medium.
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