Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Tech / International Something (Less Easy) You Can Do
Posted by Jonathan Golob on Tue, Jun 16, 2009 at 5:29 PM
After changing your Twitter settings, consider set up a censor-defying proxy server.
A proxy server is a way to get around some of the simpler, but effective, internet censoring techniques. If the Iranian government is forcing their internet service providers to block direct access to twitter, by setting up a proxy server on your computer here in the US that can access twitter, an Iranian protester could connect to your computer instead (getting around the censoring) and then to twitter.
There is a constant need for new proxies, as the sensors can go around and cut off access to each new one that pops up.
The Austin Heap blog has directions for setting up a proxy on Redhat/Fedora Linux or Windows. (UPDATED: Here are directions for a Mac.)
A heartbreaking comment from this blog tells you how important this is:
i’m in tehran. i’ve been combing the net for the past 24 hrs trying to find some proxies that are still open with no luck. i’m the sales rep for a major canadian satellite networking equipment company and until yesterday had unfiltered internet over an illegal VSAT terminal that i was sharing with a bunch of people here. the client providing me with the terminal got scared and pulled the plug. we really do need these proxies to get free access to info - keeping in mind satellite tv signals are blocked by massive rf noise generated by goverment at great financial and health costs. only if those morons operating these noise stations knew what they’re doing to themselves…
i’ll post the proxy addresses on some farsi sites for the people who really need them. sincere thanks to all of you, not only for the effective help you’re providing, but most importantly: for not looking the other way.
If this doesn't make a lick of sense to you, you probably aren't the right person to be setting up a proxy. But, to the IT professionals who read slog: This is a way to use your nerdy skills for good.
Share via
2
I have western friends living in China who resort to using these kinds of proxies all the time -- even if it's just for watching dumb YouTube videos of cats falling off countertops. Free access to information means free access - for everything.
3
This reminds me somehow of Neal Stephenson's reference to Elves and Dwarves in, I believe, Cryptonomicon?
Keep up the good work everyone.
Keep up the good work everyone.
4
off topic:
Obama's going to announce the federal govt. will honor gay partnerships for health care benefits and such of federal employees.
Wow, this getting angry stuff works!
KBO
Obama's going to announce the federal govt. will honor gay partnerships for health care benefits and such of federal employees.
Wow, this getting angry stuff works!
KBO
7
Well, looks like Golob changed his post enough that my comment @1 doesn't make sense. Long story short: I'm a VI partisan.
More seriously, I agree with the call for action, but those interested should realize that running an open proxy can potentially get you cut off from internet access even in the freest of nations. Less risky than what our brothers and sisters in Iran are doing, though, to be sure.
Installing Squid in Debian-family systems (including Ubuntu) is similar to RHEL/CENTOS: apt-get install squid
More seriously, I agree with the call for action, but those interested should realize that running an open proxy can potentially get you cut off from internet access even in the freest of nations. Less risky than what our brothers and sisters in Iran are doing, though, to be sure.
Installing Squid in Debian-family systems (including Ubuntu) is similar to RHEL/CENTOS: apt-get install squid
8
How about this:
Get the C.I.A. to set up a Wimax antenna at the Iraqi border and give everyone free unfettered access...
Wait a minute. C.I.A. ? In the Obama "Administration" ?
Har Har Har....what was I thinking!
How about this:
Get the C.I.A. to set up a Wimax antenna at the Iraqi border and give everyone free unfettered access...
Wait a minute. C.I.A. ? In the Obama "Administration" ?
Har Har Har....what was I thinking!
9
@8: I know your comment was rhetorical, but I can think of a few problems with your plan.
1. It would directly involve the US government in what, up to now, has at least appeared to be an internal struggle in Iran. A clumsy intervention by the US at this point, particularly the CIA, is likely to tip the balance against the protesters.
2. WiMax is readily blocked by generating RF interference. Barring a complete shutdown of the Internet in Iran, proxies are a pretty damn unstoppable means of fighting the censors--particularly if there are many.
Life is very seldom like a Tom Clancy novel.
1. It would directly involve the US government in what, up to now, has at least appeared to be an internal struggle in Iran. A clumsy intervention by the US at this point, particularly the CIA, is likely to tip the balance against the protesters.
2. WiMax is readily blocked by generating RF interference. Barring a complete shutdown of the Internet in Iran, proxies are a pretty damn unstoppable means of fighting the censors--particularly if there are many.
Life is very seldom like a Tom Clancy novel.
10
for those, like me, whose first question was: "how can I do this on a Mac?" There are what look like easy instructions at the site Jonathan linked to. I'll give it a try later.
11
I do want to caution, as per Lee@7:
If you are running a totally open proxy, you can be banned by your ISP. Beware! The instructions I linked to allow you to restrict your proxy to accepting requests from Iran; you should 100% do this. And, understand the risk you're taking by doing this.
You might lose your internet access if you set up a proxy server, particularly if your ISP bans this.
If you are running a totally open proxy, you can be banned by your ISP. Beware! The instructions I linked to allow you to restrict your proxy to accepting requests from Iran; you should 100% do this. And, understand the risk you're taking by doing this.
You might lose your internet access if you set up a proxy server, particularly if your ISP bans this.
13
If you do this, or have done this, you can tweet it to @stopAhmadi or @Iran09. Clearly that form of communication has been getting through, although it sounds like Tehran might be stopping it now.
14
Don't tweet proxy information openly- some of the hashtags are already being monitored, so I wouldn't really trust any of them. Better to tweet that you have it and then send out private messages to people individually, or it will be worthless.
17
@7 and @11: Open proxies are heavily abused by click fraudsters. If you open up your computer, expect to quickly be inundated with requests "clicking" on ads for Google AdWords and other ad syndication products. You want to be sure to switch this off after the troubles in Iran die down.
Also, open proxies are a lot less useful for someone in Iran if you don't have a static IP address. Your ISP will probably be less angry about you proxying if you're IP's static, too, since you won't end up dirtying multiple IP addresses.
Also, open proxies are a lot less useful for someone in Iran if you don't have a static IP address. Your ISP will probably be less angry about you proxying if you're IP's static, too, since you won't end up dirtying multiple IP addresses.
18
Whatever, Lee.
Nano is user friendly. God forbid. I understand that you can be a VI wizard and jerk off all over yourself all day long, but I still like Nano.
Enjoy your perl necklace.
Nano is user friendly. God forbid. I understand that you can be a VI wizard and jerk off all over yourself all day long, but I still like Nano.
Enjoy your perl necklace.
Most Commented on Slog
-
Slog Somehow Overlooked... by Dan Savage
-
VivaVulva Viagra! by Dan Savage -
Life and Death in a Recliner in South Carolina by Dan Savage
-
Health at Every Size by Dan Savage
-
"Let his days be few... Let his children be fatherless and his wife a widow." by Dan Savage
-
Feeling Sorry for Carrie Prejean by Dan Savage
-
$2,600,000,000 by Dan Savage
-
Last Night's Colbert Report by Dan Savage
-
All The Best Men Are Taken by Dan Savage
-
I Hate You, Garrison Keillor by Jen Graves
RSS
Facebook
Twitter
Comments (18) RSS