Governments throughout the world censor websites and other resources on the internet for different reasons. Often you may find yourself in a situation where you want to access a censored website or resource online. Circumvention tools may help you bypass censored websites and anonymously browse the internet. They can help you become undetectable to ISPs and governments. Users channel their traffic via a different computer, called a proxy.
Here are some tools you can use to access censored websites and resources on the internet.
- Tor Browser is a tool for accessing blocked websites without being tracked. It routes your traffic through a global node network run by volunteers, much like a decentralized VPN. This prevents surveillance of your browsing habits or tracing your location. It is very popular among journalists and privacy advocates.
- VPN (Virtual Private Network) is a secure portal between two or more devices which provides an encrypted connection from your device to the internet. It hides your IP address and enables you to visit websites that were restricted before, as you’re “tricking” your ISP into thinking you’re somewhere else.
- Psiphon is an award-winning circumvention system that leverages open-source web proxies, helping you skirt around content-filtering systems.
- Lantern is another open-source proxy software application for desktop and mobile. It provides users access to the open internet. Lantern is different from other tools as it leverages peer-to-peer connections for internet connectivity when servers are not available.
- Tails is an operating system that allows you to browse the internet on any computer. It uses cryptographic tools to encrypt email messages and files.
- Whonix is a free and open-source desktop operating system (OS) that is specifically designed for advanced security and privacy. The software helps you run your apps anonymously, anonymizing everything you do online. The project suggests it’s the best way to use Tor, as it provides the strongest protection of your IP address.
- Orbot is an app from the Guardian Project that helps you access the internet anonymously by encrypting your internet traffic.
