Country
- 🌍 All countries 25
- Australia 1
- Brazil 1
- Canada 0
- China 7
- France 0
- Germany 0
- Greece 0
- Hong Kong 0
- India 1
- Iran 6
- Italy 1
- Japan 0
- Nigeria 1
- North Korea 1
- Pakistan 1
- Russia 4
- Saudi Arabia 0
- Singapore 0
- Thailand 0
- Turkey 1
- UK 0
- USA 0
Banned apps & websites around the world, country by country. Pick a country to see only its bans.
ChinaBannedGoogle SearchGoogle moved its Chinese search service to Hong Kong in 2010 after refusing to censor results; its services are blocked by the Great Firewall.Apps & WebsitesSince 2010Details →North KoreaBannedOpen internet accessOrdinary citizens can only use the state intranet Kwangmyong; the global internet is reserved for a small elite.Apps & WebsitesDetails →IndiaBannedTikTokBanned with 58 other Chinese apps in June 2020 after the Galwan Valley border clash.Apps & WebsitesSince 2020Details →AustraliaRestrictedSocial media accounts for under-16sFrom December 2025, platforms must stop under-16s from holding accounts.Apps & WebsitesSince 2025Details →ChinaBannedFacebookBlocked after the July 2009 Ürümqi unrest, when authorities said the platform was used to organise protests.Apps & WebsitesSince 2009Details →IranBannedFacebookBlocked after the protests that followed the 2009 presidential election.Apps & WebsitesSince 2009Details →RussiaBannedFacebookBlocked in March 2022 after the invasion of Ukraine; Meta was later labelled "extremist".Apps & WebsitesSince 2022Details →ChinaBannedInstagramBlocked during the 2014 Hong Kong protests and never restored.Apps & WebsitesSince 2014Details →IranBannedInstagramBlocked in September 2022 during the protests after the death of Mahsa Amini.Apps & WebsitesSince 2022Details →RussiaBannedInstagramBlocked in March 2022 after Meta temporarily allowed some calls for violence against Russian soldiers.Apps & WebsitesSince 2022Details →RussiaBannedLinkedInBlocked for not storing Russian users' data on servers inside Russia.Apps & WebsitesSince 2016Details →IranBannedTelegramBlocked by court order in 2018 after it was used during anti-government protests.Apps & WebsitesSince 2018Details →ChinaBannedWhatsAppFully blocked in 2017; its end-to-end encryption cannot be monitored by the state.Apps & WebsitesSince 2017Details →ChinaBannedWikipediaAll language editions have been blocked since April 2019.Apps & WebsitesSince 2019Details →ChinaBannedX (Twitter)Blocked since 2009 together with most foreign social networks.Apps & WebsitesSince 2009Details →IranBannedX (Twitter)Blocked since the 2009 protests, although many officials post on it.Apps & WebsitesSince 2009Details →ChinaBannedYouTubeBlocked by the Great Firewall since 2009.Apps & WebsitesSince 2009Details →IranBannedYouTubeBlocked in 2012 over content the authorities called offensive to Islam.Apps & WebsitesSince 2012Details →ItalyBan liftedChatGPTTemporarily blocked by the data protection authority in March 2023; restored about a month later.Apps & WebsitesBanned 2023Details →RussiaBan liftedTelegramBlocked in 2018 for refusing to hand over encryption keys; the ban was lifted in 2020.Apps & WebsitesBanned 2018Details →NigeriaBan liftedTwitterSuspended in June 2021 after it deleted a presidential tweet; the ban was lifted in January 2022.Apps & WebsitesBanned 2021Details →IranBan liftedWhatsAppBlocked in 2022; the government lifted the ban in December 2024.Apps & WebsitesBanned 2022Details →TurkeyBan liftedWikipediaBlocked in 2017; the Constitutional Court ruled the ban unconstitutional and access returned in December 2019.Apps & WebsitesBanned 2017Details →BrazilBan liftedX (Twitter)Suspended by the Supreme Court in August 2024 in a dispute over court orders; restored in October 2024.Apps & WebsitesBanned 2024Details →PakistanBan liftedYouTubeBlocked in 2012 over an anti-Islam video; access returned in 2016 with a local version.Apps & WebsitesBanned 2012Details →
Frequently Asked Questions
Which country bans the most apps & websites?
In our list, China (7), followed by Iran (6) and Russia (4).
Have any of these bans been lifted?
Yes, including ChatGPT (2023), Telegram (2018), Twitter (2021), WhatsApp (2022) and Wikipedia (2017). Lifted bans stay on the list, marked "Ban lifted", so you can see how the rules changed.
Is this list up to date?
We review entries regularly and add new bans as they happen. Laws change, so check an official government source before you travel or act on this information.
Laws change often and many bans have exceptions. This list is for general information, not legal or travel advice. Check official government sources before you travel. Last updated: 12/10/2026.