A website of international broadcasters is to help users to bypass Internet censorship. Why the Deutsche Welle is involved in the project, explained to DW distribution Director Guido Baumhauer in the Interview.
Also, the Turkish government has blocked websites like Twitter, Facebook, and Wikipedia (archive image)
DW: Mr. Baumhauer, since the years of free access to the Internet is restricted in the world – a Problem that is familiar with the German wave. Censorship-the leader of the “Freedom on the Net Report, 2016”, according to China, Syria and Iran. The report also shows that, increasingly, social networks and Messenger services such as WhatsApp or Telegram to be censored. What are the implications on the fight against censorship?
Guido Baumhauer: The basic principle does not change. We must always consider how we get our content to people and how people can communicate with each other. Since there is a mutual Upgrade. Depending on how the Internet is, in a country technically set up, it is relatively easy to block content. At the same time, but also to bypass that in many societies, for example, in Iran, the young Generation is very fit, censorship. This also applies to the new blockades of the Messenger services. For us, as the Deutsche Welle is clear: We do not accept this and will do everything to ensure that the people get our content, no matter on which way.
On the website Bypass Censorship Tools are available for Download, which can be used to censorship in different ways, deal with it. Some allow the user to anonymously go into the net, while others allow access to blocked websites. How exactly does that work?
Basically, there are many Tools that provide users with the opportunity to be on the Internet than the one on the way, the man is – and to get access to certain content. The one or the other, looking from time to time online a movie that is run in the USA, in Germany not know yet, and a Software download, which leaves him as an American user, and access to American services are blocked in Germany. Many of these Tools, you do not know often, what happens with the data the Software collects about the users.
The report by the U.S. NGO Freedom House shows that Internet censorship is a global Problem
We have to consider what Tools the censorship circumvention allow, without at the same time, half of the digital life of the users of tires, deduction, and have selected three main elements: the GOAL, a classic Software to access blocked sites and surf anonymously you can use, Psiphon, for example, we use for our Farsi – Amharic-offer – both markets where Internet censorship is an everyday -, and Orbot, the other mobile Apps the ability to access.
Tools such as the TOR network are well known. That is to say, the website is rather aimed at users who have no experience with issues such as encryption?
This is a very important point. There are many users who know very well and don’t depend on that, we provide you with information. But there are also many people who would like to gain access to blocked websites and for the time quite helpless to start. We try to show you the way how to do this. In addition, the website offers the latest Version of the Tools for Download. In this fast-paced world of today, a new barrier is created, tomorrow’s a new blockage-circumvention tool, and the day after tomorrow also this Tool will be blocked, this is important.
The danger is that the entire website is blocked?
Yes, of course. This will be a race duration. Also, this page will be blocked and also this page is find ways to come back to the user. The website should be locked for certain users, we offer you to provide you with the Tools via E-Mail. It is simply a matter of all the possibilities, and bypasscensorship.org is just one of many. But if we reach only a handful of new users, it is the value. For access to the free expression of opinion should go each way.
Would like to give the know-how of the German international broadcasting to as many people as possible: Guido Baumhauer
Bypass Censorship sounds like a project that can also start activists or hackers. Why have taken the radio stations in the Initiative?
I think that you do not need to separate even from each other. We have a large interest in us with all that we can, for the access to free Information. At this point, it makes no difference whether one is an activist, Hacker or international Broadcaster. We have damn good people who find every day a new niche, a new gap, as we are coming in markets that don’t want to let us in. And everything that we have because of know-how, we give very much more to our users and to people who will be there maybe tomorrow.
Bypass-Censorship is supported by Deutsche Welle, the BBC, the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), of France Médias Monde and the Open Technology Fund. Guido Baumhauer, Director of Distribution and technology at Deutsche Welle.
The interview was conducted by Helena Kaschel