Access Geo-Restricted content and avoid Internet censorship using Free VPN by Opera

Access Geo-Restricted content and avoid Internet censorship using Free VPN by Opera

If there is any browser out there that has been relenting in its quest to topple Google Chrome, personally I would say it is Opera. About every four months they have a new top notch feature they are availing to users for free; the most recent is now a Free VPN.

Opera 40 has a Free VPN

VPN are sometimes a necessary thing to have when you want to access content that has been blocked in your country. Assuming you have Opera version 40 installed; update your Opera browser if you have an earlier version. Follow the steps below to activate the Free VPN:

Launch the browser

Click Menu at the top-left corner of the Opera browser

Click Settings in the drop-down menu. A new tab will open with the Settings page

On the left panel of the Settings page, click on Privacy & Security

Click on the Enable VPN check box

You will have Free VPN enable on your Opera browser going forward. However, it will also automatically turn off the Opera Turbo feature; that helps in compressing web pages for faster page-load and fewer data consumption.

With the VPN turned on, you will access any blocked content in your area. You can also change your VPN server between Canada, Germany, Singapore, USA, and Netherlands.

Why you may need a VPN in Africa

Use of VPN has been on the increase across Africa as totalitarian governments try to muzzle any disgruntled citizens who might take to social media and other online platforms to air their grievances.

We saw it being done in Burundi as the citizens objected the incumbent president bid (and later successful re-election) for a third term in office. The government of Ethiopia too has been alleged to have been trampling on human rights (the Oromo protest) and tries to put a curtain for the world not to see. During the last presidential elections in Uganda, the government block access to social media.

African governments can be considered modest compared to the likes of China when it comes to internet censorship. However, given the lessons learnt from the Arab Spring and the habit of African leaders wanting to die in power; seating in office for an indefinite period. The fact that citizens are becoming enlightened and becoming more vocal on putting leadership to task does not sit well. Experts believe that more severe internet censorship will be seen in some parts of Africa, especially around the time of a presidential election.

The other apparent reason you may need a VPN is to access geo-restricted content online. That used to include Netflix, but now, you can access virtually any content online without; whether they have been availed in your region or not notwithstanding.

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