Ever since the famous civil war in Algeria in the nineties and the government has been building an advanced infrastructure which gives it high surveillance capabilities. Even though the Algerian president in 2006 had pardoned all the journalists that have been accused with defamation charges. Algeria is not considered a country with online censorship but any content that is posted online that opposes the government or the regime can get the person who posted it in a great deal of trouble. This is why it is considered a very risky environment for journalists and reporters. The government in Algeria puts the burden on the ISP to control what is being accessed and posted online by the people. In other words, the ISP’s are usually the ones who do the spying for the government. This is why Algeria s not one of the safest online countries in the world and, for anyone staying in it or willing to travel to it, alternative measures have to be taken to ensure complete online privacy, online freedom, and online security. There are many ways to achieve these needs separately, but the only solution that combines all three, would be acquiring a strong reliable VPN. VPN services are able to provide their users with complete online security, freedom, and privacy through their countless features.
Online Freedom
VPN service providers offer their users a range of VPN servers to connect to. In order for users to bypass any online restrictions, they can simply choose to connect to a VPN server that is located outside of the country applying the restriction (In this case, connect to a server outside of Algeria). Once the connection is established, the users can access any blocked online content as if they are located outside of the restriction zone. Most high-end VPN applications support tunneling protocols so their users can bypass any Firewalls placed by governments. All this is how VPNs provide their users with complete online freedom.
Online Privacy
Once the users connect to any of the numerous VPN servers, the server replaces their true IP address with one of its own shared IP address. This process completely hides the users’ online identity and ensures complete anonymity. For any entity trying to track down the user, they will appear to be at a completely different location outside of the country and connected through a completely different ISP. The reliable VPNs have strict no logs policies which means their servers do not store any of the users’ online activities or browsing history to protect their online privacy. This means that even if they are asked by any government to hand over their users’ online information, they will have literally nothing to give so even if the VPN provider is located in a country with Data Retention Laws, as long as they have a strict no logs policy, then there is nothing to worry about regarding breach of privacy.
Online Security
The features in a VPN related to online security are also related to online privacy. VPNs usually use high level encryption to secure their networks and protect all their users’ data being transferred across the network. This feature is both related to the protection of the users’ online security and online privacy as this protects the privacy of the users’ information being transmitted across the network. In addition to that, VPN applications support multiple security protocols to further protect their users’ online security. Some VPNs also offer their users with additional security features. These features differ between one VPN and the other.
According to these VPN properties we can distinguish between the countless VPN names in the market according to the purpose we require the VPN for. In the case of Algeria, we would need to focus more on the features related to online privacy and security, more than those of online freedom. Accordingly we have done our research and gone through a thorough filtration process to come out with the top 3 recommended for Algeria.
Best VPNs for Algeria
BVPN
BVPN is a Netherlands based VPN provider that started officially operating in 2014. It is considered today as one of the strongest VPNs in the market with its unmatched online security features. It has overcome every online challenge that came its way all over the world. Recently it had merged with the Middle Eastern popular WaselPro VPN which gave it a huge boost in the Middle East market. This is why it is considered a perfect recommendation for Algeria.
Level of Security
- Entire network is secured with a military grade 256-bit encryption
- Multiple advanced and unique security protocols supported (OpenVPN with UDP/TCP, L2TP/IPSec, SSTP, SSH, and its very own Smoke Tunnel)
Additional Security Features
- Internet Kill Switch
- IPv6 Leak Protection
- Public Wi-Fi/Hotspot Security
Network of Servers
- More than 20 server locations strategically placed all over the world
- Each server is able to provide its users with numerous shared IP’s
Additional Features
- Unlimited bandwidth
- Unlimited server switching
- Up to 6 simultaneous connections
- Strict no logs policy
- “Fastest Server” automatic server selection
- 7-day money back guarantee
ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN was launched in 2009 and is based in the British Virgin Islands. Today it is considered one of the biggest names in the field of online security and among VPNs in general. Ever since it started and it has not stopped expanding or improving its features. It has always been recommended in the toughest online situations around the world and has always been successful in proving its name and place in the market. This is why it is definitely a good recommendation for Algeria.
Level of Security
- The ExpressVPN network is SSL secured with a 256-bit encryption
- Multiple security protocols supported (OpenVPN with UDP/TCP, L2TP/IPSec, PPTP, and SSTP)
Additional Security Features
- Network Lock Kill Switch
Network of Servers
- More than 1000 servers in 145 cities, spread across 94 countries around the world
- A network this large is able to provide its users with thousands of shared IP’s
Additional Features
- Unlimited bandwidth
- Unlimited server switching
- Up to 3 simultaneous connections
- Zero logging of network traffic
- Split Tunneling
- Built-in Speed Test
- 30-day money back guarantee
NordVPN
NordVPN is based in Panama and was officially launched in 2012. Ever since it started and it has been providing its growing database of users with both standard and customized solutions for online security, online privacy, and online freedom. It has always been improving in its very impressive features and has always been a great recommendation for online challenges around the world. This is why we didn’t hesitate when recommending it for Algeria.
Level of Security
- An AES 256-bit SHA encryption is used to secure network
- All data passes through 2 VPN servers instead of one and at each server it receives an additional layer of encryption (Double Data Encryption)
- Advanced security protocols supported (OpenVPN, L2TP/IPSec, PPTP, SSTP, and IKEv2)
Additional Security Features
- Automatic Kill Switch
- DNS Leak Resolver
- Onion over VPN
- Wi-Fi Security
- Anti-DDoS servers
Network of Servers
- 1044 servers spread across 59 countries around the world
- These servers provide there users with a large number of shared IP’s in addition to the availability of acquiring a dedicated IP
Additional Features
- Unlimited bandwidth
- Unlimited server switching
- Up to 6 simultaneous connections
- No logs kept
- Smart Play
- 3-day free trial and 30-day money back guarantee
Conclusion
As we have mentioned above, Algeria is considered a very risky online environment with its high level of government online surveillance and its harsh attitude against freedom of speech and freedom of expression. This is why using a VPN in Algeria is an essential requirement to stay secure and private while browsing the internet. As much as there are countless names in the VPN market today, yet not all of them are qualified to be recommended for Algeria. This is why we highly recommend the above 3 VPNs as their specifications meet the online needs of the situation in Algeria.
