In this review I will explain you how to bypass Internet censorship in Indonesia by using a VPN (Virtual Private Network) service. I will also give you tips on how to watch Hulu and Netflix in Indonesia using a unique IP address.
Most porn and torrent websites are blocked in Indonesia. This includes all the most famous ones like XVideos, YouPorn, PornHub, XHamster, KickAss Torrents and The Pirate Bay. It is also not possible to visit some forums like Reddit or InternationalSexGuide.
Some regular websites have also been banned like Vimeo. Tumblr was shut down during 24 hours earlier this year as well.
Another problem internet users are facing in Indonesia is the 2008 Electronic Information and Transactions Act. This vague set of laws can make you the target of a defamation suit for exposing your views online. You are not allowed, for instance, of suggesting that someone might be corrupt.
Because of this law, posting a comment on Facebook, Twitter or Path in Indonesia can land you in jail. This is what happened to Alexander Aan or Florence Sihombing.
Since about a year ago, I decided to use a VPN (Virtual Private Network) in Indonesia. This allows me to visit any websites I want on the internet without anyone knowing about it. It is 100% legal, secure and safe. Actually, according to this 2015 study, Indonesia is the country with the most VPN users in the world: 23% of its Internet users are bypassing censorship by using a VPN.
The cost is cheap (less than 10$ per month) and it works great. If you travel a lot in Asia, it is also very useful in heavily-censored countries like Vietnam or China.
Since VPN companies usually give you a free trial for a few days, I tested several of them to make sure I was choosing the best. Here are my top 3 recommendations if you need one.
Hide My Ass is the most expensive of the VPNs listed here because they have 700 servers in the world, including in Indonesia. This means your connection is fast and smooth everywhere. If you can afford the extra dollars to get full speed, HMA is an excellent choice.
Pricing:
6,55$ per month with 1 year plan
8,33$ per month with 6-month plan
11,52$ per month without plan
Ivacy is considered as one of the fastest VPNs in Indonesia. They also have a server in Jakarta and a strong presence in Asia (the headquarters are in Hong Kong). The support is excellent (ask any question and they will answer you within a few minutes). You can pay with bitcoins or PayPal and you can use up to 5 devices (smartphone, tablet, laptop, TV, etc).
Pricing:
1,83$ per month with 1 year plan
4,16$ per month with 6-month plan
9,95$ per month without plan
7 days free trial.
This is often considered the best VPN on the market as they have a great support team that will help you with any of your requests. If you are planning on using US Netflix, this is your an excellent choice too as they have not been banned yet. This means you can use NordVPN to watch Netflix if you position your IP in the US.
Pricing:
4$ per month with 1 year plan
5$ per month with 6-month plan
8$ per month without plan
30 days free trial
There are a lot of new players entering the market every month. If you are using a different VPN in Indonesia, please leave a comment below to share your experience!