5 things you can do to dodge the social media tax in Uganda .

It’s pretty obvious that most Ugandans are now looking for the most effective ways on how to avoid paying the social media tax . In this article we will show you some of these ways on how to dodge the social media tax and how to go along them . First of all what is the social media tax ? A couple of month ago the president  advised the ministry of Finance to exert more taxes on social media users in Uganda , this action was not well received by most Ugandans . The social media tax was approved by the parliament to tax UGX 200 on all OTT services used by Ugandans starting on 1st July . This means, for you to access services like Facebook , twitter , WhatsApp and other OTT platforms you have to pay a special tax everyday . Depending on whatever service you use, this article is going to help you with some of the ways to avoid the social media tax.

How to avoid paying social media taxes in Uganda .

Their are a couple of ways you can avoid paying the social media tax in Uganda . Some are proven while others are still speculations . Be cautioned that some of these tips may work or not work depending on a number of available circumstances.

Use VPN Applications .

If you remember what happened during the elections in 2016 , then perhaps you know what i mean . VPNs have been very helpful in cases were the government has tried to shutdown social media platforms in Uganda . A VPN is a Virtual Private Network that allows you to create a secure connection to another network over the internet . VPNs can be used to access region-restricted websites, shield your browsing activity from prying eyes on public Wi-Fi, and more. VPNs essentially forward all your network traffic to the network, which is where the benefits – like accessing local network resources remotely and bypassing Internet censorship – all come from. Most operating systems have integrated VPN support. So in very simple terms , you can use a VPN to connect a PC , tablet or smartphone to another server over the internet and browse the internet using that computer’s internet connection and IP address . The magic trick in this technique is if the server is in a different country ,  it will appear as if you are coming from that country, and you can potentially access things that you couldn’t normally. This can make it possible to bypass geographic restrictions on websites or streaming audio and video such as social media restrictions in Uganda . However regardless of that , Some VPNs may not work because they have been noted and blocked themselves . Below are some reasons why some VPNs won’t work for your device in Uganda .

Reasons why some VPNs won’t work for your device .

There are many reasons why you cannot connect to your vpn in Uganda starting from July 1st if you haven’t paid the social media tax . These include the following .

• Blocked VPN . The government may have blocked some of these PPTP VPN connections . You can check if your ISP is blocking with your friends and confirm it .
• Accurate date and time. Make sure your time and date is accurate . Having an inaccurate date and time can cause problems regarding your connection .
• Router.  Check if your router supports or configured for PPTP VPN Pass through by trying to connect to the Internet without the router. See if it will work. Plug your computer directly into your modem device so that it will bypass the router.
• Reboot. One of the main reasons you cannot connect to your VPN is you didn’t reboot your device before connection .
• Check Password . Always check your password . Make sure the password you typed in is correct .
• Error in creation. Delete your first vpn connection if you had one because on the second time the connection might work properly although this may sound odd but you can give it a try.
• Disable your firewall . Sometimes this might be caused by your Firewall software . Try to disable it then connect to the vpn again. If the right connection happens, then you’ll need to setup an exception so that you can connect to the vpn while it is running.

Some VPNs I have tried and work in Uganda .

Psiphon – must have VPN for most of Ugandans who want to dodge social media tax.

Psiphon is a free and open source anti-censorship tool. It is designed to allow people who live in restrictive counties to freely access the open internet . I used this VPN during the election period in 2016 to access my social media accounts and i would recommend it for you .

Want to try Psiphon?You can download it here

Other VPNs include .

• ExpressVPN . This is a popular VPN service for all devices, including Android smartphones and tablets.
• HotSpot Sheild . It offers VPN coverage from 20 countries, guaranteeing unparalleled performance and the ability to unblock all geo-restricted content.
• TunnelBear VPN . The VPN Android app version comes with a handy widget for your home screen and a cartoon user interface that removes all the complexities commonly associated with VPN services.

How to use a VPN to dodge social media tax in Uganda .

Watch the video below if you want to quickly learn how to install and use a vpn service such as phisphon to avoid social media taxes . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xo2cDa5COm0

Other 4 ways you can dodge the social media tax in Uganda .

Use WiFi .

You can also dodge paying the social media tax by using public WiFi such as Rokespot , MYUG and many others near you . It’s true that the social media tax will only be levied on sim cards that use OTT but not WiFI operators .

Change your device country .

You can also decide to factory reset your android headset and change it to another country immediately it restarts .

Pay the Tax .

Listen , the only way you can skip the social media tax efficiently without a lot of hustle or hard work is to pay the tax . I have shared with you some of these tips to help you in cases you’re crazy badly off but still need to access your WhatsApp or Facebook account .

Leave Uganda .

Crazy , yeah . If you can’t afford the living costs or paying UGX 200 for social media tax in Uganda,  you can just decide to leave the country . I have seen people leave Uganda because of the unfavorable tax polices . If you think this is right for you , do it .

Conclusion .

If you think we have left out any other way or perhaps you have a more detailed guide that you think will be helpful to Ugandans , share it with our readers in the comment section below .