Online payment method CashU is the latest provider to place a blanket ban on Virtual Private Network (VPN) services, it has been revealed.
The company has cited the potential for abuse and potential fraud as reasons for its decision to stop VPN services from accessing its payment service. VPNs allow users to browse the internet anonymously, avoiding detection.
CashU is the leading alternative to credit cards in the Middle East and North Africa, with thousands of merchants accepting CashU payments. VPN services are also popular in the region.
Ben Van Pelt, CEO of TorGuard, a widely used VPN, hit back at the decision, saying: “Privacy online is a basic human right and fundamental building block of any free, democratic society. Unfortunately, CashU’s Middle Eastern underwriting banks are not located in such a place. Censorship laws enforced by the United Arab Emirate’s Telecom Regulatory Authority borderline on draconian as they decide what content is or is not acceptable.”
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