Hi,
We analyzed OONI data from Myanmar and we were able to confirm the
blocking of:
* Social media websites (such as twitter.com, facebook.com, instagram.com)
* News media websites (30 local Myanmar news outlets)
* A human rights website (https://www.justiceformyanmar.org/)
* A COVID-19 site (https://coronavirus.app/)
We are able to confirm the blocking of these sites because in OONI
network measurement data, we are able to see that ISPs in Myanmar are
implementing DNS based interference which returns IP addresses
(59.153.90.11, 167.172.4.60) that host block pages.
On some networks in Myanmar, there appears to be TCP/IP level
interference, suggesting IP based blocking.
You can find more details here:
https://gist.github.com/hellais/397af212f267757ab492534cd1bded85
Meanwhile, both WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger apps continue to be
blocked in Myanmar.
This is evident through OONI data:
* WhatsApp:
https://explorer.ooni.org/search?until=2021-02-14&since=2021-01-15&probe_cc…
* Facebook Messenger:
https://explorer.ooni.org/search?until=2021-02-14&since=2021-01-15&probe_cc…
In summary:
* Censorship appears to vary across networks (i.e. different sites are
blocked on different networks)
* Different ISPs in Myanmar appear to adopt different censorship
techniques (primarily DNS based interference returning a block page, and
what seems to be IP based blocking)
* Some ISPs in Myanmar are not blocking these sites and apps
We've also shared the above information through the following Twitter
thread: https://twitter.com/OpenObservatory/status/1360615643322724355
## Further testing
If you're in Myanmar and interested in testing blocked sites further,
you can:
1. Install the OONI Probe mobile app: https://ooni.org/install/mobile
2. Open this link with your OONI Probe mobile app:
https://run.ooni.io/nettest?tn=web_connectivity&ta=%7B%22urls%22%3A%5B%22ht…
3. Tap "Run" (please ensure that your VPN is turned off when running tests)
You will then have access to the test results in your OONI Probe app.
Unless you opt out, test results will automatically get openly published
here:
https://explorer.ooni.org/search?until=2021-02-14&since=2021-01-15&probe_cc…
Warm thanks & solidarity with all OONI Probe users in Myanmar!
Best,
Maria.
--
Maria Xynou
Research & Partnerships Director
Open Observatory of Network Interference (OONI)
https://ooni.org/
PGP Key Fingerprint: 2DC8 AFB6 CA11 B552 1081 FBDE 2131 B3BE 70CA 417E
Hello,
We are excited to share that we have released a new OONI Probe Command
Line Interface (CLI)!
You can install OONI Probe on the command line on:
* Debian/Ubuntu: https://ooni.org/install/cli/ubuntu-debian
* macOS: https://ooni.org/install/cli/macos
Upon installation, OONI Probe will run all tests *automatically* every day!
This is very exciting because you can easily contribute lots of
measurements every day without having to remember to run OONI Probe. :)
Given that all OONI Probe measurements are openly published in near
real-time (https://ooni.org/data/), you will help the internet freedom
community better investigate internet censorship.
IMPORTANT:
Are you running the python legacy version of ooniprobe
(https://github.com/ooni/probe-legacy) on Linux or macOS?
This is the old version of ooniprobe that has been around since ~ 2012.
If you're still running it (and we know that many of you are!):
* First of all: We love you for being such a long-term Oonitarian and
contributing so many measurements over the years! <3
* Second (and importantly): Please SWITCH OVER to the new OONI Probe
CLI: https://ooni.org/install/cli
We are in the process of discontinuing the legacy ooniprobe version.
Similarly to the legacy version, you'll be able to have all tests run
automatically in the background every day with the new OONI Probe CLI,
and it will also receive important future updates (such as new tests,
code improvements, etc.).
If you know others who are running the legacy version of ooniprobe, we'd
appreciate it if you could please share the above information with them!
Happy to address any questions.
Thanks a million!
~ OONI team.
--
Maria Xynou
Research & Partnerships Director
Open Observatory of Network Interference (OONI)
https://ooni.org/
PGP Key Fingerprint: 2DC8 AFB6 CA11 B552 1081 FBDE 2131 B3BE 70CA 417E
Hello,
We're excited to share that the latest OONI Probe version features a
brand new test for RiseupVPN!
You can now check whether RiseupVPN works on your network. Learn all
about this test here: https://ooni.org/nettest/riseupvpn/
To run the new RiseupVPN test, update to the latest version (2.9.1) of
OONI Probe Mobile: https://ooni.org/install/mobile
All RiseupVPN test results from around the world are openly published in
near real-time:
https://explorer.ooni.org/search?since=2020-12-30&test_name=riseupvpn
Warm thanks to the folks from the LEAP collective for developing this
new test! <3
Cheers,
Maria (on behalf of the OONI team).
--
Maria Xynou
Research & Partnerships Director
Open Observatory of Network Interference (OONI)
https://ooni.org/
PGP Key Fingerprint: 2DC8 AFB6 CA11 B552 1081 FBDE 2131 B3BE 70CA 417E
Hello,
Iran seems to have started blocking Signal today.
This is suggested through OONI measurements testing signal.org in Iran:
https://explorer.ooni.org/search?since=2020-12-27&domain=signal.org&probe_c…
While the testing of signal.org in Iran was previously successful, today
every measurement collected so far suggests potential blocking.
You can continue to monitor the accessibility of signal.org in Iran
through the above link (which openly shares OONI data collected in
real-time from Iran).
~ Maria.
--
Maria Xynou
Research & Partnerships Director
Open Observatory of Network Interference (OONI)
https://ooni.org/
PGP Key Fingerprint: 2DC8 AFB6 CA11 B552 1081 FBDE 2131 B3BE 70CA 417E
Hello,
Today, in collaboration with DefendDefenders, Defenders Protection
Initiative, and IODA, we co-published a new research report examining
the recent internet disruption in Uganda amid its 2021 general election.
Our report is available here:
https://ooni.org/post/2021-uganda-general-election-blocks-and-outage/
We based our investigation on:
* OONI measurements collected from Uganda:
https://explorer.ooni.org/search?until=2021-01-23&since=2020-12-23&probe_cc…
* OONI experiments using the `miniooni` research client (which we plan
to eventually integrate into the OONI Probe apps)
* Public data sources monitoring internet outages (IODA data, Google
traffic data, Oracle Internet Intelligence data, and CloudFlare Radar data)
In the days leading up to Uganda’s 2021 general election, ISPs blocked
access to the Google Play Store (hampering people’s ability to download
apps), as well as to a number of social media apps (including WhatsApp,
Facebook Messenger, and Telegram) and websites (such as facebook.com) –
regardless of OTT tax payment.
Access to certain circumvention tool websites (such as protonvpn.com)
was blocked as well, though both Tor and Psiphon worked throughout the
election period.
Starting from the eve of Uganda’s 2021 general election (in the evening
of 13th January 2021), Uganda was disconnected from the internet entirely.
The country experienced a 4-day internet outage (which included election
day), as shown through several public data sources: Internet Outage
Detection and Analysis (IODA), Oracle’s Internet Intelligence Map,
Cloudflare Radar, and Google traffic data. In our report, we also share
network-level analysis of the internet outage based on IODA data.
The internet outage is further corroborated by the absence of OONI
measurements from Uganda during this time period (since OONI Probe
requires internet connectivity to perform tests), as well as by the
drastic drop in Tor users and Psiphon users during this period.
Even though internet connectivity in Uganda was restored on 18th January
2021, access to social media and circumvention platforms remained blocked.
Notably, Ugandan ISPs only appear to have started blocking access to
YouTube on 18th January 2021, even though the platform is not included
on the OTT list of taxed platforms.
You can continue to monitor ongoing internet censorship in Uganda though
OONI data (which is openly published in real-time):
https://explorer.ooni.org/search?until=2021-01-23&since=2020-12-23&probe_cc…
We thank OONI Probe users in Uganda who contributed measurements, making
this study possible.
Best,
Maria.
--
Maria Xynou
Research & Partnerships Director
Open Observatory of Network Interference (OONI)
https://ooni.org/
PGP Key Fingerprint: 2DC8 AFB6 CA11 B552 1081 FBDE 2131 B3BE 70CA 417E
Hi folks,
Leading up to Uganda's elections tomorrow, a number of social media and
VPN platforms appear to have been blocked (even when the OTT is paid).
We've shared relevant OONI Probe testing instructions through this
Twitter thread:
https://twitter.com/OpenObservatory/status/1349064291480166415
If you know people in Uganda, please share this with them.
This thread contains information for:
* Running all OONI Probe tests (including those that measure WhatsApp,
Facebook Messenger, Telegram, Psiphon, and Tor)
* Testing social media websites, VPN sites, and Ugandan websites
(through relevant OONI buttons)
* Testing the Google Play Store and App Store
* Limiting website testing based on (a) websites of your choice, (b)
specific website categories (e.g. news media, circumvention,
communication tools, etc.)
* Downloading the OONI Probe APK (if you're unable to install OONI Probe
from the Play Store)
In all cases, please ensure that your VPN is turned off when running
OONI Probe (to help ensure more accurate test results).
All OONI Probe test results from Uganda (unless the user has opted-out)
are openly published here:
https://explorer.ooni.org/search?until=2021-01-14&since=2020-12-14&probe_cc…
Happy to address any questions.
Thanks,
Maria.
--
Maria Xynou
Research & Partnerships Director
Open Observatory of Network Interference (OONI)
https://ooni.org/
PGP Key Fingerprint: 2DC8 AFB6 CA11 B552 1081 FBDE 2131 B3BE 70CA 417E
Dear Oonitarians,
Happy New Year!
We wish you and your family good health and happiness, and an amazing 2021!
We hope 2021 brings more joy, love, peace, health, and social justice to
the world.
We feel very grateful for being in this community with you. And with
your support, we're excited to keep fighting internet censorship around
the world.
Thank you for all that you do!
Happy holidays!
Love,
OONI team.
--
Maria Xynou
Research & Partnerships Director
Open Observatory of Network Interference (OONI)
https://ooni.org/
PGP Key Fingerprint: 2DC8 AFB6 CA11 B552 1081 FBDE 2131 B3BE 70CA 417E
Hello,
We published a post, "Year in Review: OONI in 2020", which shares:
* OONI highlights from 2020
* Exciting ways that community members made use of OONI data in 2020
* Upcoming OONI projects in 2021
You can read this post here: https://ooni.org/post/ooni-in-2020/
Warm thanks to our amazing community for making our work possible!
We thank every OONI Probe user out there, and we're excited for 2021!
Happy holidays! Hope you stay safe and healthy.
Warmly,
OONI team.
--
Maria Xynou
Research & Partnerships Director
Open Observatory of Network Interference (OONI)
https://ooni.org/
PGP Key Fingerprint: 2DC8 AFB6 CA11 B552 1081 FBDE 2131 B3BE 70CA 417E
Hello friends,
We just published a new OONI Partners page on the OONI website:
https://ooni.org/partners
Since 2016, we have had the opportunity to collaborate with many great
digital rights organizations from around the world on censorship
measurement research.
The new OONI Partners page features these organizations, highlighting
their important work, and sharing the research projects we have
collaborated on.
If you're interested in the OONI Partnership Program, learn more here:
https://ooni.org/get-involved/partnership-program/
I would like to grab this opportunity to share my warmest thanks to all
of our partners for their commitment to fighting internet censorship and
for providing us the opportunity to work with them! <3
As always, please feel encouraged to share your ideas and feedback on
how we can strengthen collaborations going forward.
Warmly,
Maria (on behalf of the OONI team).
--
Maria Xynou
Research & Partnerships Director
Open Observatory of Network Interference (OONI)
https://ooni.org/
PGP Key Fingerprint: 2DC8 AFB6 CA11 B552 1081 FBDE 2131 B3BE 70CA 417E