BBC talks about "Psiphon"
https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2022/03/international-news-russia-kremlin-media-censorship/627120/
"Meanwhile, the BBC, whose Russian-language website more than tripled its
weekly average audience (10.7 million people compared with its average 3.1
million) in the first week of the Russian invasion, before being blocked by
the Kremlin, encouraged its audience to use tools such as the Psiphon app,
an open-source, virtual private-network service that helps users conceal
their location, and Tor, a more secure web browser."

What do you know about Psiphon?

grinch <grinch@somewhere.com> wrote:
> BBC talks about "Psiphon"
> https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2022/03/international-news-russia-kremlin-media-censorship/627120/
> "Meanwhile, the BBC, whose Russian-language website more than tripled its
> weekly average audience (10.7 million people compared with its average 3.1
> million) in the first week of the Russian invasion, before being blocked by
> the Kremlin, encouraged its audience to use tools such as the Psiphon app,
> an open-source, virtual private-network service that helps users conceal
> their location, and Tor, a more secure web browser."
>
> What do you know about Psiphon?

VPN

Avoiding administrative blocks

Canadian

STOP!

Am 25.03.22 um 04:50 schrieb grinch:
> BBC talks about "Psiphon"
> https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2022/03/international-news-russia-kremlin-media-censorship/627120/
> "Meanwhile, the BBC, whose Russian-language website more than tripled its
> weekly average audience (10.7 million people compared with its average 3.1
> million) in the first week of the Russian invasion, before being blocked by
> the Kremlin, encouraged its audience to use tools such as the Psiphon app,
> an open-source, virtual private-network service that helps users conceal
> their location, and Tor, a more secure web browser."
>
> What do you know about Psiphon?

Wikipedia knows this

"Psiphon is a free and open-source Internet censorship circumvention
tool that uses a combination of secure communication and obfuscation
technologies (VPN, SSH, and HTTP Proxy). Psiphon is a centrally managed
and geographically diverse network of thousands of proxy servers, using
a performance-oriented, single- and multi-hop architecture.[1]

Psiphon is specifically designed to support users in countries
considered to be "enemies of the Internet".[2] The codebase is developed
and maintained by Psiphon, Inc., which operates systems and technologies
designed to assist Internet users to securely bypass the
content-filtering systems used by governments to impose censorship of
the Internet."

I would never use a centrally managed software or service for the
intended purpose. Use TOR.

--
De gustibus non est disputandum

On 25/03/2022 12:38, Joerg Lorenz wrote:

> I would never use a centrally managed software or service for the
> intended purpose. Use TOR.

I found the tor browser but it only works for browsing.
How do I set up tor for the entire phone?

On 25/03/2022 10:12, Rob wrote:

> VPN
>
> Avoiding administrative blocks
>
> Canadian
>
> STOP!

What would you suggest instead?

grinch <grinch@somewhere.com> wrote:
> On 25/03/2022 10:12, Rob wrote:
>
>> VPN
>>
>> Avoiding administrative blocks
>>
>> Canadian
>>
>> STOP!
>
> What would you suggest instead?

Apparently you did not get it... understandable when you are
from somewhere else.

The format of question you used is exactly the same as in a long
running quiz show. The host mentions some facts about a topic,
then asks "What do you know about <topic>?".
A number of keywords or short phrases have been prepared and are
shown blurred on a board.

The contestants then have to guess the keywords and phrases and
get points for each "correct" answer, but when they use too much
time it is better to pass the buck to someone else.

Am 25.03.22 um 15:17 schrieb grinch:
> On 25/03/2022 12:38, Joerg Lorenz wrote:
>
>> I would never use a centrally managed software or service for the
>> intended purpose. Use TOR.
>
> I found the tor browser but it only works for browsing.
> How do I set up tor for the entire phone?

There are not many functions on a smartphone that do not alternatively
work in the browser. To ensure security and privacy with the browser is
much easier than to look after a bag of ants (= a lot of software which
is inherently insecure).

BTW: This is the relevant browser:
https://apkpure.com/orfox/info.guardianproject.orfox

--
De gustibus non est disputandum

On 25/03/2022 12:55, Joerg Lorenz wrote:

> There are not many functions on a smartphone that do not alternatively
> work in the browser.

Yes there are.

On 25/03/2022 16:42, Rob wrote:

> The format of question you used is exactly the same as in a long
> running quiz show.

You didn't need to prove to everyone that you don't know what Psiphon is.

grinch wrote:

> What do you know about Psiphon?

Well, I know almost nothing about it.

So I installed it off of my FOSS Google Play Store client.
<https://i.postimg.cc/nzTKdgQL/psiphon01.jpg> Psiphon 2Mb/s speed limit
<https://i.postimg.cc/Ssm7fkR5/psiphon02.jpg> Psiphon brings up Brave

First thing I learned is that Psiphon is adware & it requires GSF (which is
why I had to loosen up my filters just to find it on Google Play Store).
*Psiphon Pro* The Internet Freedom VPN by Psiphon Inc. 50,000,000+, 4.5
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.psiphon3.subscription>

Second thing I learned is that it doesn't require a login account, which is
another _big_ plus for any VPN service. And, of course, there's no credit
card associated with the account (which goes along with the lack of login).

Then I learned that it's a free "VPN" so it turns off your _other_ VPNs,
such as "NetGuard", which isn't all that good if you _already_ are using
Android's full-time system VPN features.

But then I learned it's at least a system VPN as I checked my IP address
using <http://whatismyipaddress.com> in another browser before & after.

That resolves to a "Network Sharing Device" in the USA (Pennsylvania).

While learning that it's a system VPN, I learned it does bring up its own
favorite browser which in my case was Brave (maybe it was my default?).

By default that default browser opens up this default web page on startup.
<https://freeip.me/?client_region=US&landed=<long number>

My first question to the group would be "what's that long number anyway?".

But then I noticed something (see my screenshots), which is that it's capped
at 2Mb/s speeds, which, well, that's pretty slow for anything but for text.

There should be more about it here:
<https://psiphon.ca/>

Apparently Psiphon started as a project at Citizen Lab, University of
Toronto, but in 2007 it was made into an independent corporation, Psiphon
Inc., also based in Toronto.

A quick skim of the net shows plenty of articles about it, where the good is
that they have 20 countries in their server list but the bad is that it's
not all that good for privacy (as most VPNs aren't either).

The problem with VPN is that the morons all will claim that they have a
better one but in the end there is no way for you to tell which is best
without spending eons of time analyzing each and every one out there.
<https://www.techradar.com/reviews/psiphon>
<https://www.vpnranks.com/reviews/psiphon/>
<https://proprivacy.com/privacy-service/review/psiphon>
<https://vpnparadise.com/reviews/psiphon/>

One representative snipped might be this one sentence from the latter URI:
"Psiphon plainly expresses data privacy, and digital protection
is not among Psiphon's prime objectives. In their privacy policy,
they admit to selling users' data to sponsors and third parties."

Personally, I'm not in agreement with the BBC that I'd use this particular
VPN service as an "anti-censorship" tool as I'd use plenty of others first.

The one huge advantage though, is it's just about as easy to use as can be.
Another advantage is that it's a system-wide VPN (not just a browser proxy).
--
Every post to Usenet should strive to add unique added helpful value.

On 2022-03-25 12:55 p.m., Andy Burnelli wrote:
> grinch wrote:
>
>> What do you know about Psiphon?
>
> Well, I know almost nothing about it.

You should turn that into a text shortcut...

....if you can find someone who's willing to explain how to do it.

grinch <grinch@somewhere.com> wrote:
> On 25/03/2022 16:42, Rob wrote:
>
>> The format of question you used is exactly the same as in a long
>> running quiz show.
>
> You didn't need to prove to everyone that you don't know what Psiphon is.

You did not need to ask in an Android group what Psiphon is.

Am 25.03.22 um 19:58 schrieb grinch:
> On 25/03/2022 12:55, Joerg Lorenz wrote:
>
>> There are not many functions on a smartphone that do not alternatively
>> work in the browser.
>
> Yes there are.

You seem not to understand the conceptual difference.

--
De gustibus non est disputandum

On 26/03/2022 5:45, Joerg Lorenz wrote:

>> Yes there are.
>
> You seem not to understand the conceptual difference.

If I'm going to communicate, it's not with a browser that I do it.

On 25/03/2022 20:55, Andy Burnelli wrote:

>> What do you know about Psiphon?
>
> Well, I know almost nothing about it.

For not knowing much, you sure did learn a lot about it fast!
Thank you for your advice.

On 2022-03-25 20:55, Andy Burnelli wrote:
> grinch wrote:
>
>> What do you know about Psiphon?
>
> Well, I know almost nothing about it.
>
> So I installed it off of my FOSS Google Play Store client.
> <https://i.postimg.cc/nzTKdgQL/psiphon01.jpg> Psiphon 2Mb/s speed limit
> <https://i.postimg.cc/Ssm7fkR5/psiphon02.jpg> Psiphon brings up Brave
>
> First thing I learned is that Psiphon is adware & it requires GSF (which is
> why I had to loosen up my filters just to find it on Google Play Store).
> *Psiphon Pro* The Internet Freedom VPN by Psiphon Inc. 50,000,000+, 4.5
> <https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.psiphon3.subscription>
>
> Second thing I learned is that it doesn't require a login account, which is
> another _big_ plus for any VPN service. And, of course, there's no credit
> card associated with the account (which goes along with the lack of login).
>
> Then I learned that it's a free "VPN" so it turns off your _other_ VPNs,
> such as "NetGuard", which isn't all that good if you _already_ are using
> Android's full-time system VPN features.
>
> But then I learned it's at least a system VPN as I checked my IP address
> using <http://whatismyipaddress.com> in another browser before & after.
>
> That resolves to a "Network Sharing Device" in the USA (Pennsylvania).
>
> While learning that it's a system VPN, I learned it does bring up its own
> favorite browser which in my case was Brave (maybe it was my default?).
>
> By default that default browser opens up this default web page on startup.
> <https://freeip.me/?client_region=US&landed=<long number>
>
> My first question to the group would be "what's that long number anyway?".
>
> But then I noticed something (see my screenshots), which is that it's
> capped
> at 2Mb/s speeds, which, well, that's pretty slow for anything but for text.

That's probably intentional, so that the network resources are not used
by people downloading movies "illegally".

>
> There should be more about it here:
> <https://psiphon.ca/>
>
> Apparently Psiphon started as a project at Citizen Lab, University of
> Toronto, but in 2007 it was made into an independent corporation, Psiphon
> Inc., also based in Toronto.
>
> A quick skim of the net shows plenty of articles about it, where the
> good is
> that they have 20 countries in their server list but the bad is that it's
> not all that good for privacy (as most VPNs aren't either).
>
> The problem with VPN is that the morons all will claim that they have a
> better one but in the end there is no way for you to tell which is best
> without spending eons of time analyzing each and every one out there.
> <https://www.techradar.com/reviews/psiphon>
> <https://www.vpnranks.com/reviews/psiphon/>
> <https://proprivacy.com/privacy-service/review/psiphon>
> <https://vpnparadise.com/reviews/psiphon/>
>
> One representative snipped might be this one sentence from the latter URI:
> "Psiphon plainly expresses data privacy, and digital protection  is not
> among Psiphon's prime objectives. In their privacy policy,  they admit
> to selling users' data to sponsors and third parties."
>
> Personally, I'm not in agreement with the BBC that I'd use this particular
> VPN service as an "anti-censorship" tool as I'd use plenty of others first.

Well, it is not aimed at USAians, but these times, at Russians and other
troubled countries that do not belong to the USA "circle".

For a Russian trying to see occidental sites that they are targeted with
publicity from this side, is not a big problem. Now, if they see an
advert from Pravda, that would be a big issue.

It is that, anticensorship, not antipublicity. Billions of people out
there do not care much about being targeted with publicity. You do, so
this vpn is not for you, but it is fine for them.

>
> The one huge advantage though, is it's just about as easy to use as can be.
> Another advantage is that it's a system-wide VPN (not just a browser
> proxy).

--
Cheers, Carlos.

Carlos E.R. wrote:

> That's probably intentional, so that the network resources are not used
> by people downloading movies "illegally".

Hi Carlos,
It's certainly intentional as I think they said they'll lift it for a fee.

> Well, it is not aimed at USAians, but these times, at Russians and other
> troubled countries that do not belong to the USA "circle".

Like all well-educated people, I'm never afraid to admit when I'm ignorant
of something, where, I'm guessing, the reason you say that it's aimed for
Russians and other troubled countries is simply that Canada isn't out to get
them.

> For a Russian trying to see occidental sites that they are targeted with
> publicity from this side, is not a big problem. Now, if they see an
> advert from Pravda, that would be a big issue.

I'd bet a directed advertisement from RT or Trud would give them a jolt!

> It is that, anticensorship, not antipublicity. Billions of people out
> there do not care much about being targeted with publicity. You do, so
> this vpn is not for you, but it is fine for them.

Those are reasonable assessments where what I try to find in news is lack of
bias, given I don't lean too far to either the left or to the right.

BTW, these two sites are supposedly good for fleshing out media bias
<https://ground.news/>
<https://adfontesmedia.com/interactive-media-bias-chart/>

The first rates stories for bias, I think, while the second rates the
companies. Check it out if you get a chance.

I would personally steer toward the center (more fact, less opinion).
(I can form my own opinion without the news feeding theirs to me.)
--
The more educated a person is, the less they feel threatened by their
ignorance (since ignorance is easily cured - it's stupidity that's not).