After X, Bluesky Blocked in Pakistan Amid Growing Trend

Bluesky has recently been added to Pakistan’s list of restricted social networking platforms, as users worldwide flock to this popular alternative to X.

On Thursday, November 20, 2024, the internet watchdog NetBlocks tweeted about the disruption.

The Internet Tracker from Surfshark indicates that X has been blocked since February, whilst Meta’s Facebook and Instagram were blocked in July 2024 and May 2023, respectively.

According to statistics, the popular X alternative Bluesky has been blocked in Pakistan, which supports user complaints about problems accessing the service. Pakistan is cracking down on VPN providers and has banned an increasing number of social networking platforms. This image was shared on November 20, 2024.

The software you need to evade this type of restriction—virtual private network (VPN) tools—is also being targeted at the same time as the block. In order to prevent additional service interruptions, authorities have set November 30 as the deadline for companies and freelancers to register their VPNs.

It’s not yet clear if commercial VPNs will also be banned. But last week, the religious leader of Pakistan demanded a ban on VPNs, claiming that their use violates Islamic law. According to the Ministry of Interior, all VPNs that are considered “illegal” should be blocked since terrorists use them “to facilitate violent activities and financial transactions in Pakistan.”

Gytis Malinauskas, Head of Legal at Surfshark, one of the top VPN providers on the market, told TechRadar: “This further contributes to a worrying trend of internet censorship and limitation of people’s digital rights in Pakistan.” The exact impact of the new VPN rules on people in Pakistan is however still unclear.

How to Access Bluesky Seamlessly?

If you live in Pakistan or are going there soon, you’re probably looking for a way to get around the country’s internet restrictions so you can still use all of your favorite social media apps.

At the time of writing, a VPN (virtual private network) seems to still be a good way to access Bluesky while you’re in the country. A VPN encrypts your internet connection and hides your real IP address so you can access material that is normally blocked.

People were complaining about having trouble using their VPN apps all day long at the start of the month when it seemed like the crackdown on “unregistered” VPNs was just getting started. A “brief technical glitch” was later identified by authorities, and regular service was soon restored.

According to Malinauskas, Surfshark was also hit hard by service interruptions around that period. “Currently, our services are functioning without interruptions in the country but we are closely monitoring the situation,” said the CEO.

Another useful tool is the Tor Browser. Since it spoofs your IP address and encrypts your data with at least three layers of encryption, the open-source and freely available Tor is often thought to be even more secure than VPNs.