The U.S. has seen a dramatic increase in VPN usage due to heightened internet censorship in authoritarian regimes, prompting a call for tech giants to assist in providing bandwidth.
Laura Cunningham, president of OTF, emphasized that demand for VPNs has exploded, with usage rising from around nine million users per month to over 36 million, driven by restrictions in Russia and Iran.
The U.S. government has bolstered funding for VPN initiatives through the Open Technology Fund, especially following geopolitical events like Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Cunningham highlighted that VPNs are critical tools for users in authoritarian states, enabling them to circumvent censorship and maintain online anonymity.
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