In today’s digital age, the unlimited access to the internet is often taken for granted. After all, it is just a click away, sadly for many internet users, access to the World Wide Web is limited. This is because many of the popular websites and apps we are so accustomed are blocked in their respective countries. Here, we present the list of 5 social media platforms, websites and apps that are not available legitimately in other countries.
India
The Indian government has banned TikTok, along with 58 other mobile apps, since June 2020, despite TikTok’s immense popularity in the country. State claims it was to maintain India’s security and public order. But most saw the move as the government’s comeback to clashes between Indian and Chinese forces at the Himalayan border.
China
China has been having Facebook, Twitter and Google services blocked since July 2009. This was to cut communication between activists following riots in Xinjiang, an autonomous region in western China. As an alternative for messaging apps, Chinese use WeChat. But the app is obliged to share users’ data with the state. TikTok is unavailable, too, although it was developed by Chinese company Bytedance.
North Korea
North Korea outdoes the rest of the world. The government had Facebook and Twitter officially blocked in 2016, but it also bans internet access for the most of the population, except for high-ranking government officials or scientists with limitations.
Iran
2009 saw the first bans of Facebook and Twitter following political unrest because of disputed elections. In 2020, Iran announced collaboration with China to set up a national Iranian internet. This event can ultimately resemble controls of the Great Firewall of China in the near future.
Turkey
Turkey is notorious for its feud with Twitter. It all started in 2014 when the president of Turkey, Tayyip Erdogan, banned the platform because some recordings shared there that were accused of his government’s corruption. The ban was temporary for two weeks only but it took place again later, joined by Facebook and YouTube. In 2020, the country issued new internet legislation, which requires global platforms to store user data within Turkey.