Surfshark partners with Internews to protect journalists and activists with free VPN access

• Surfshark has partnered with Internews to provide free VPN protection
• The company helps journalists and activists in nine high-risk countries
• Surfshark joins other VPN humanitarian programs to protect press freedom

Surfshark has teamed up with Internews, an international nonpartisan media support nonprofit, to provide journalists and advocates access to free VPN protection.

The partnership equips 100 media outlets and civil society organizations in nine war-torn and repressive regions with encrypted connections that mask IP addresses and bypass state-imposed firewalls. This shields reporters from surveillance, protects their sources, and lets them verify facts and publish content without fearing internet shutdowns.

Surfshark already offers an Emergency VPN initiative, and this latest effort sits alongside a growing number of VPN-driven humanitarian projects, which include programs from some of the best VPN services.

Securing the frontlines

The Internews-Surfshark partnership supplies fully-paid Surfshark One subscriptions to 100 media organizations and civil society organizations operating in nine high-risk countries.

Surfshark One bundles the core virtual private network (VPN) software with a suite of complementary security tools, including Surfshark Antivirus and data leak alerts, all protected by 256-bit AES encryption, a built-in kill switch, and an independently-audited no-logs policy.

Surfshark One’s all-in-one package lets journalists stay online even when governments block or throttle VPN traffic, while also defending against malware and alerting users if their personal data appears in a breach.

As part of the support, Internews hosted a digital security training in Kampala for Sudanese journalists and civil society activists. Participants received hands-on guidance on how VPNs work, the specific threats they mitigate, and how to integrate the full Surfshark One toolkit into everyday reporting practice.

Trusted VPN services such as Surfshark give journalists and activists alike the anonymity and data protection they need to work safely in hostile environments. By masking IP addresses and enforcing a strict no-logs policy, a VPN makes it harder for authorities to trace who is accessing or publishing sensitive material. The encrypted tunnel ensures that everything from documents to video files travels without interception or tampering.

Built-in security tools such as Surfshark’s ad and tracker blockers, anti-malware scanners, and breach alert services also help shield devices from hacking attempts that could otherwise expose sources or compromise credentials.

When these safeguards operate together, reporters can verify facts, transmit footage securely, and keep contacts safe, which can mean the difference between a story reaching the public and a community being kept in the dark.

VPN providers rolling out humanitarian programs to shield journalists

Surfshark’s latest partnership with Internews builds on a track record of humanitarian work. Surfshark has already operated an emergency VPN service that supplies free credentials to journalists and activists whose regular connections are blocked or disrupted.

It isn’t the only VPN provider taking this approach, either. NordVPN and IPVanish also run comparable emergency VPN schemes that grant temporary, no-cost access to journalists in crisis zones.

Beyond emergency access, ExpressVPN maintains a Digital Security Resource Library that curates tools, training, and best-practice guides specifically for reporters and activists. Proton VPN extends a dedicated discount for its Proton for Business plan to media organizations.

Reliable, unrestricted internet access, reinforced by a comprehensive cybersecurity suite, is therefore a cornerstone of press freedom in any high-risk environment.

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