Bypassing the censors: How to access blocked online content

Did you know DW's website is blocked in a number of countries, including Iran? Here are a few methods for getting around online censorship.

Transcript

00:00On top of that, do not reuse passwords, ensure that websites you're sharing your information

00:05with are secure and stay updated on what tools you can use.

00:11A very common tool is using virtual private networks or VPNs.

00:18VPNs route your internet traffic through a secure server in another location.

00:23They hide your real IP address so that it seems like you're browsing from somewhere

00:28else.

00:29One example is Siphon, which combines VPN and proxy technology.

00:33Proxy servers act as intermediaries between users and servers.

00:37The connection is then faster and more secure.

00:41With Siphon, users can access restricted content.

00:45Take Iran for example.

00:47Since 2009, Deutsche Welle's websites have been blocked by the Iranian government.

00:52But through Siphon, DW continues to reach many users there.

00:56In September 2024, our website was accessed from Iran three million times.

01:0175% of those visits were enabled through the DW Siphon app.

01:07But there's more to consider.

01:11You should also worry about not being tracked.

01:13And there are a lot of things that can lead to you being tracked even if you are using

01:18a VPN.

01:19So my recommendation to you would be to use something like Tor.

01:24The Tor network is another powerful tool.

01:26Short for the Onion Router, Tor enables anonymous internet activity by using a global network

01:33of servers.

01:35This makes it incredibly difficult for authorities to track or block your activity.

01:40The name Onion Router is a reference to its many layers of encryption.

01:44Each layer adds security and lets you access websites without revealing your identity.

01:50New encryption technologies also look promising.

01:53They could make online censorship even more difficult.

01:59So things that look very promising are solutions like encrypted DNS, which make the address

02:05book of the internet more secure.

02:08Encrypted DNS prevents your internet service provider from spying on your web activity

02:14or redirecting you to pages with limited content.

02:17This ensures that even just looking up a website remains private.