Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Tool to circumvent internet censorship set to launch
CBC News ^ | December 1, 2006 | CBC News

Posted on 12/04/2006 11:35:02 AM PST by faq

Researchers at University of Toronto plan to introduce a software tool on Friday that aims to help people in countries that censor the World Wide Web.

Psiphon (pronounced sigh-fawn), a web-based utility, lets individuals in a country that censors the internet sign on to a server that gives them secure access to web pages anywhere, bypassing government restrictions.

Its creators plan to launch the software at the Protect The Net conference at the university's Munk Centre for International Studies, where psiphon emerged as a project of Citizenlab. Researchers at the facility examine the relationship between digital media and politics around the world.

"We're aiming at giving people access to sites like Wikipedia," a free, user-maintained online encyclopedia, and other information and news sources, Michael Hull, psiphon's lead engineer, told CBC News Online.

Citing countries such as China and Iran among some 40 countries that censor the internet, Hull said that the way in which access to information is cut off is troubling.

(Excerpt) Read more at cbc.ca ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 2006; 200612; censorship; china; internetcensorship; iran; munk; munkcenter; munkcentre; munkschool; osi; protectthenet; psiphon; siphon; soros; universityoftoronto
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-24 next last

1 posted on 12/04/2006 11:35:05 AM PST by faq
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: faq

This ought to go over well in China. Im sure the government will smile and wink at any citizen who attempts to download the tool..


2 posted on 12/04/2006 11:38:54 AM PST by cardinal4
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: GMMAC; fanfan

(((.)))


3 posted on 12/04/2006 11:39:12 AM PST by Squawk 8888 (Pluto's been marginalized! Call the ACLU!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: faq
Psiphon (pronounced sigh-fawn)

I'm willing to bet it's actually pronounced, "siphon" (SY-fun).

4 posted on 12/04/2006 11:39:43 AM PST by newgeezer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: faq

Already there...

"Freep-phon (pronounced Freep-fawn), a web-based utility, lets individuals in Blue-state that censors news sign on to a server that gives them secure access to real information, bypassing Main Stream Media restrictions."


5 posted on 12/04/2006 11:39:52 AM PST by PetroniusMaximus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: cardinal4

Users don't have to download software. "Psiphon works by letting people in uncensored countries download the free software to run a secure, encrypted server or node in the private network. The server administrator would pass the connection information to friends and family in censored countries - psiphonites - who could then log in through a web browser and navigate sites without restrictions."


6 posted on 12/04/2006 11:50:20 AM PST by faq
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: faq

Someone posted about this yesterday. It's funded by Soros's OSI.


7 posted on 12/04/2006 11:51:19 AM PST by sageb1 (This is the Final Crusade. There are only 2 sides. Pick one.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: faq
Hmm... does not fit in to well with Newt's suggetion that we may have to censor radical Islamic sites.
8 posted on 12/04/2006 11:52:06 AM PST by M. Dodge Thomas
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sageb1
Someone posted about this yesterday. It's funded by Soros's OSI.

Still looks like a good idea to me, regardless of who is funding it.

9 posted on 12/04/2006 11:53:13 AM PST by Wormwood (Your friendly neighborhood atheist)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: faq


Oh my gosh, they invented a proxy server!


10 posted on 12/04/2006 11:53:29 AM PST by Malsua
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: faq

"We're aiming at giving people access to sites like Wikipedia,"




still be censored I see


11 posted on 12/04/2006 11:54:36 AM PST by sure_fine (*not one to over kill the thought process*)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Malsua

"Oh my gosh, they invented a proxy server! "


You know it must be an inside IT joke or something but thats exactly what I was thinking... :)


12 posted on 12/04/2006 12:01:18 PM PST by Syntyr (Freepers - In the top %5 of informed Americans!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Malsua
Oh my gosh, they invented a proxy server!

I have a strong suspicion that many Chinese citizens don't know how to, you know, set up a proxy. If this tool is easy to use, they'll have far less of a problem getting real information. Seems like a necessary invention to me.
13 posted on 12/04/2006 12:03:08 PM PST by aNYCguy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: faq

Why couldn't a country just block access to this service? I'd say it would be very easy to do.


14 posted on 12/04/2006 12:08:09 PM PST by KoRn
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sageb1

It probably spies on the user... notifies someone over here, who then reports it directly to the Chicom government.


15 posted on 12/04/2006 12:09:25 PM PST by SteveMcKing
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Squawk 8888; GMMAC; Pikamax; Former Proud Canadian; Great Dane; Alberta's Child; headsonpikes; ...
Canada ping.

Please send me a FReepmail to get on or off this Canada ping list.

16 posted on 12/04/2006 12:11:09 PM PST by fanfan ("We don't start fights my friends, but we finish them, and never leave until our work is done."PMSH)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: KoRn
Why couldn't a country just block access to this service? I'd say it would be very easy to do.

Which the country will do, and then the organization will change their IPs, and then the country will ban those, etc.
17 posted on 12/04/2006 12:12:52 PM PST by July 4th (A vacant lot cancelled out my vote for Bush.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: July 4th
"Which the country will do, and then the organization will change their IPs, and then the country will ban those, etc."

This will probably happen every day, several times per day.

18 posted on 12/04/2006 12:26:28 PM PST by KoRn
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: faq

We may need it in the US, at the rate some liberals (and Republicans) are going.


19 posted on 12/04/2006 12:28:01 PM PST by af_vet_rr
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: cardinal4

Been talking about this with my IT guy here at work. Seems like a bad idea all around to both of us.

1) What happens when the Chicom government takes on the role of middleman/proxy and starts tracking the cheaters... and

2) What kind of moron would open up their interent connection to an anonymous "proxy-siphon-friend?"

Islamists, organized crimesters, bot herders, child porn traffickers, phishers, spammers and all manner of lowlife will be able to pull bandwidth using "friendly" connections and IPs. Pretty much like handing out your social security number to people in need if you ask me.

I'd imagine that finding a legitimate Chinese user on the system will be about as easy to do as finding a horny sorority girl on a chat board...


20 posted on 12/04/2006 12:43:49 PM PST by sbMKE
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-24 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson