Must read: Fear of Repression Spurs Scholars/Activists to Build Alternate Internets

[snagglepuss]

snip

...one weekend each month, a small group of computer programmers gathers at a residence here to build a homemade Internet—named Project Byzantium—that could go online if parts of the current global Internet becomes blocked by a repressive government.

Using an approach called a "mesh network," the system would set up an informal wireless network connecting users with other nearby computers, which in turn would pass along the signals. The mesh network could tie back into the Internet if one of the users found a way to plug into an unblocked route. The developers recently tested an early version of their software at George Washington University (though without the official involvement of campus officials).

The leader of the effort, who goes by the alias TheDoctor but who would not give his name, out of concern that his employer would object to the project, says he fears that some day repressive measures could be put into place in the United States.

He is not the only one with such apprehensions. Next month The­Doctor will join hundreds of like-minded high-tech activists and entrepreneurs in New York at an unusual conference called the Contact Summit. One of the participants is Eben Moglen, a professor at Columbia Law School who has built an encryption device and worries about a recent attempt by Wisconsin politicians to search a professor's e-mail. The summit's goal is not just to talk about the projects, but also to connect with potential financial backers, recruit programmers, and brainstorm approaches to building parallel Internets and social networks.





Read more at

http://chronicle.com/article/Fear-of-Repression-Spurs/129049/

[okieinpain]

1. man i wish i had the money and time to attend something like

this. wonderful stuff.

[snagglepuss]

5. I hope the conference gets a lot of coverage. Perhaps someone from DU

will attend.

[bongbong]

14. Don't worry, it will

There'll be lots of coverage from the Usual Suspects.

[reACTIONary]

17. You can...

Can't make it to New York for Contact? Consider joining or creating a Meetup group in your neighborhood.
http://contactcon.com/global-meetups
http://contactcon.com/

[RKP5637]

2. Thanks for posting, glad to see this happening. IMO suppression of communication is

a potential part of reality in the future. I could easily see it happening in the US "if" the right regime fell into power. It's happened before, of course, with radio transmissions in other countries. They would also need to consider EMP hardening.

[malaise]

7. It's part of hte reality of the present

or Wall Street protests would not be blocked

[snagglepuss]

20. Your welcome. I thought people would be relieved to see people are planning

for worst case scenerios.

[rhett o rick]

3. Bravo. nm

[LiberalEsto]

4. I wish I had the skills to help with sometyhing like thia nt

[sellitman]

6. I could see this needed even during a Democratic Presidency.

I don't trust my own party. Not when money is involved with politics.

pretty sad eh?

[RKP5637]

12. It is very sad. Money mixed with politics and power is dangerous. We have all

three mixed now together with greed. IMO that ensures the wrong people move into great positions of power, and it cuts across all parties.

Democrats are definitely not immune to this than any other party. These are highly dangerous times and I frankly have no idea what is going to restore a true democracy.

What really bothers me is a large segment of America chooses to be ignorant and damn proud of their ignorance, and are hence the willing tools of those working against a true democracy.

[TBF]

8. Recommended. nt

[bengalherder]

9. K&R

This is relevant to my intrests.

[annabanana]

10. There should be a THOUSAND internets in reserve.

they should replicate exponentially with every blocked access. I am convinced that this can be done.

[Liberal_in_LA]

11. k&r

[leftstreet]

13. K&R

Interesting! Thanks for posting

[Javaman]

15. Since this article is now read by the masses, it means that the dept of defense

already knows about this "alt" internet and are already figuring out ways to control it.

[snagglepuss]

16. True but if tecnologically savvy people are willing to expand time and effort,

I have to assume that they don't believe their efforts are pointless.

[toddaa]

18. Doubtful, they'd also have to deal with strong crypto

Try this. Just be aware that your computer may be used for stuff you don't like. It's not perfect anonymity, but it's a hell of a lot harder to find someone on I2P, than it is on TOR.

[burrowowl]

19. K&R