Shutdown Academy
60 mins
Mitigating Online Censorship
- Abstract:
- The course will help you understand the various forms of internet censorship, how and when they might occur, and safe methods for circumventing them.
- About this course:
- As repressive governments fight for ever-increasing control of information flows and access, the ubiquity of the internet as a tool for exercising freedom of speech makes it an all-too-common target for censorship. Some countries like China have institutionalised such censorship with national-scale surveillance infrastructure like the Great Firewall, effectively monitoring and controlling what people can access on the internet, in violation of their basic human rights. In this course, we will explore internet censorship in more detail, using several case studies to demonstrate how you can navigate techniques and tools for circumventing these restrictions.
- What do I learn:
- By the end of the course, you will be able to: Understand internet censorship, how it works, and when it can occur Build a map of the various forms of internet censorship using country case studies Navigate various forms of censorship using selected tools and techniques
- What do I need to know:
- The course is designed for people living, working or providing internet freedom and digital safety support to communities in repressive regions.
Trainers
Andrés Azpúrua
Executive Director at VE Inteligente. Activist and researcher, working in the fields of digital security, civic tech and human rights online. Andrés and his team defend the rights of Venezuelans online and help protect activists, independent media and CSOs.
Valentina Aguana
Valentina Aguana is a Venezuelan digital rights activist, computer engineering student and a member of the NGO VE Sin Filtro since 2019. She monitors internet censorship events and analyses cyber attacks that target dissidents from the Venezuelan government. Valentina also gives training to journalists and activists regarding privacy and security issues.
- 1.1 Meet your instructor & learn about the course1.2 What is internet censorship?1.3 How does internet censorship differ from internet shutdown?1.4 How do I know if the internet is being censored?
- 2.1 How the internet works2.2 Routing and IP blocking2.3 Understanding how content is blocked2.4 Understanding Throttling2.5 What is a DNS anyway2.6 When handshakes fail - TCP blocks2.7 Application-layer censorship / DPI
- 3.1 Changing your DNS settings / DoH / DNS over TLS3.2 Circumventing blocks with a VPN3.3 Go borderless with Tor3.4 On the Go with TAILS3.5 CENO browser
- 4.1 Your site being blocked: First steps & things to consider4.2 Case study - VPNs & internet censorship4.3 Case study - How Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty circumvents internet censorship4.4 Censorship resilient services and website mirrors4.5 Web encryption: HTTPS, ESNI and more
- 5.1 Wrap-up video5.2 Course survey
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Suggested reading
Blog
Defending Online Freedom: Three Organisations in Action
Internet freedom has been threatened globally due to the rise of censorship, internet shutdowns, and surveillance. Such actions have significantly impacted individuals' ability to access information, express themselves freely, and communicate with others online. In this blog, we will discuss three such organisations. Each of these organisations shared with us insights learned from their experiences as part of our new shutdown academy courses.
Blog
How The Economist uses IODA to report on Internet shutdowns
This is a case study from our course ‘Detecting Internet Shutdowns with IODA’, in our Internet Shutdown Academy, which features 10 courses in seven languages taught by experts from leading organisations. It is designed to educate activists, journalists, and anyone impacted by internet disruptions and online censorship.
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In the age of technology, the internet has become a crucial aspect of daily life for millions of people around the world. From online shopping to social media and communication, the internet has changed the way we interact with one another and access information. However, internet shutdowns are increasingly becoming a common occurrence in many countries, with potentially serious consequences for citizens and their rights.
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Case study: Experiencing a shutdown in Cuba during protests
In July 2021, Cuba saw the largest protests in more than 100 years taking place throughout the country. Cubans flooded the streets to demand better access to food, water, medicine, and COVID-19 vaccines, calling for government reforms. The first protest took place in a small town out of Havana called San Antonio de los Baros. The unrest was live-streamed on Facebook and had a domino effect throughout the country. Read more..