Social media restrictions imposed in Afghanistan on October 7 have led many to turn to VPNs Proton VPN recorded spikes in usage of +35,000% above baseline The social media ban follows a 48-hour complete internet shutdown on September 29, 2025 Afghans have been turning to VPN services en masse since last Tuesday, October 7, when authorities began restricting access to popular social media platforms. Proton VPN , a popular free VPN, experienced spikes in usage of +35,000% above baseline.