Tech Tips: You can easily use Whatsapp even after the internet shutdown, know-how

As our credibility on the internet grows with each passing day, some governments around the world are using internet shutdowns as a powerful tool to quell dissent. For those who do not know, through an internet shutdown, the government can restrict access to specific websites or platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, Telegram, and others. Governments are able to order internet shutdowns through coordination with public and private internet service providers. One of the recent examples where internet shutdowns were used to silence people's voices was seen in Iran where women are protesting hijab rules. To help users communicate during internet shutdowns, WhatsApp has rolled out proxy support for WhatsApp users all over the world.

What is WhatsApp proxy support and how does it work

As the name suggests, proxy support allows users to connect to WhatsApp through servers set up by volunteers and organizations around the world. If you have the internet, you can search through social media or search engines for reliable sources that have created proxies. You can follow these steps to know how to connect to a proxy server for WhatsApp:

How to connect to a proxy on an android phone

• In the Chats tab, tap More options > Settings.
• Tap on Storage and Data > Proxy.
• Tap on Use Proxy.
• Tap Set proxy and enter the proxy address.
• Tap on Save.
• A check mark will show if the connection is successful.
• If you are still unable to send or receive WhatsApp messages using the proxy, it may be that the proxy is blocked. You can long press to delete the blocked proxy address, then enter a new proxy address to try again.

How to connect to the proxy on Apple iPhone

• Go to WhatsApp Settings.
• Tap on Storage and Data > Proxy.
• Tap on Use Proxy.
• Enter the proxy address and tap Save to connect.
• A check mark will appear if the connection is successful.
• If you are still unable to send or receive WhatsApp messages using the proxy, it may be that the proxy is blocked. Try again using a different proxy address.