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February 13, 2026 – General –
Surfshark, a global virtual private network (VPN) provider, has partnered with international media development organisation Internews to expand digital security protections for journalists, activists, and human rights defenders worldwide, industry observers reported this week. The collaboration will offer free access to Surfshark’s secure VPN services to eligible media professionals as part of broader efforts to counter digital surveillance and strengthen online safety for independent reporting.
The initiative aims to address rising concerns over digital threats facing journalists, particularly those working in high-risk environments or covering sensitive topics such as corruption, conflict, and human rights abuses. With global digital surveillance technologies increasingly used by state and non-state actors to monitor communications, track and censor journalists, secure online tools like VPNs are seen as crucial for protecting sources, safeguarding communications, and maintaining editorial independence.
Under the agreement, qualifying journalists and civil society actors will be able to access Surfshark’s suite of VPN services at no cost, providing encrypted connections and masking of IP addresses to reduce the risk of unauthorised interception. Internews will help determine eligibility and facilitate distribution to journalists operating in regions with elevated threats to press freedom, including areas where internet censorship, cyberattacks, or state-level surveillance are prevalent.
Industry analysts say the timing of the partnership reflects a growing recognition within both the tech and media sectors that digital security is now an essential component of journalist safety strategies. Traditional concerns such as physical threats, legal repression, and harassment have been compounded in recent years by sophisticated digital surveillance tools, including spyware and network monitoring, which can expose reporters’ communications and endanger both journalists and their sources.
Surfshark’s CEO said in a press statement that the company is “committed to empowering journalists and defenders with the tools they need to communicate securely,” highlighting the importance of encryption and privacy technologies in upholding freedom of expression online. Internews representatives echoed this sentiment, noting that digital safety has become increasingly central to press freedom advocacy and that access to secure tools can make a tangible difference for journalists working in hostile digital environments.
The initiative will leverage Surfshark’s existing infrastructure, which includes servers across dozens of countries and features such as kill switches and multi-platform support, to offer reliable protection for journalists’ devices and communications. By reducing vulnerabilities to tracking and data interception, the partnership seeks to enhance journalists’ ability to research, communicate, and publish without pervasive fear of digital intrusion.
Press freedom advocates welcomed the partnership as a practical step toward addressing digital risks, and some noted that similar collaborations between technology firms and media support organisations may become more common as threats evolve. They stressed the importance of coupling technological tools with training and policy advocacy to ensure journalists understand how to use security tools effectively and to promote wider structural protections for free expression and privacy online.
Overall, the Surfshark–Internews partnership represents a targeted response to a pressing challenge for contemporary journalism: protecting digital communications in an era of increasing surveillance, censorship, and cyber risk.
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