Bypassing Censorship: How to Reach Audiences in Authoritarian Countries
President Vladimir Putin has blocked most independent media in Russia in an attempt to prevent citizens from receiving uncensored news regarding his invasion of Ukraine. According to experts, the crackdown on free speech will only worsen, but does this mean that Russians will lose access to balanced news? Not exactly. The use of circumvention tools makes it possible to bypass censored content and access censored websites and news sources. According to VOA's report, the following are some of the most popular and effective ones available today.
VPNs are arguably the most widely used circumvention tool. The service works by creating a private tunnel between a user's computer and the Internet, which conceals the user's IP address and prevents others from seeing what the user is browsing or downloading. Since the tunneled information is encrypted, neither the Internet service provider nor the government can access it. Ensure you use a VPN that experts have vetted. This will rule out a free VPN provider that earns its revenue by selling its clients' data to third parties, such as governments.
In addition to using the free Google Chrome browser, another easy way to circumvent state Internet censorship is to use Tor, which stands for The Onion Router, since it creates layers and layers of encryption around the content you send and receive. The Tor network makes it impossible for the authorities to distinguish between websites that are permitted and those that are prohibited. Users are also unable to identify themselves on the websites.
The VPN and Tor operate differently. Compared to a VPN, Tor is a decentralized tool run by volunteers and encrypts and directs your data using a decentralized network of servers. But what if a government completely cuts off its citizens from the outside world? There is always the satellite Internet. This technology has been around for decades. It beams data, not through cables but by radio signals traveling through space. The system involves ground stations that broadcast signals to satellites in orbit, which are then retransmitted to users on earth. Elon Musk's Starlink project operates the largest constellation of such satellites today, with around 2,000 satellites. SpaceX's parent company, SpaceX, sells a kit that offers customers access to the network. It consists of a small satellite dish with mounting tripod, a Wi-Fi router, cables, and a power supply.
Additionally, there is the shortwave radio. As one of the cheapest and most effective means of relaying information around the world during the cold war, this type of communication became extremely popular. An individual transmitter can easily transmit shortwave broadcasts over distances of several thousand kilometers. Radio receivers are usually quite affordable and can be found in most electronic stores around the globe. The Internet has diminished the audience for this broadcast in most regions of the world, but as experts are aware, a new wave of censorship in some countries could help revive the technology for a new generation.
Some circumvention tools have been developed since Russia invaded Ukraine. One of these tools was created by a group of Polish hacktivists called Squad303, who accessed and then downloaded a database of nearly 140 million Russian email addresses and 20 million cell phone numbers. Later, the company developed a website that generated random phone numbers and e-mail addresses from the Russian database. A very simple process. Anyone in Russia or anywhere else in the world can access the website and start calling, emailing, or texting complete strangers in Russia to discuss the Kremlin's invasion of Ukraine. Millions of Russians lack knowledge about the causes of the war, and the world must convey this information to them.
