## OONI Probe Web

We worked towards finalizing the development of our new browser-based censorship measurement tool: OONI Probe Web (https://probe-web.ooni.org/).

In working towards the first beta release, we added support for detecting the browser being used by the user and displaying a warning text if their browser configuration could lead to false positives (https://github.com/ooni/probe-web/pull/5/files).

## OONI Explorer

Through January 2023, we worked on the following new OONI Explorer (https://explorer.ooni.org/) features:

* Improving the domain-centric pages (https://github.com/ooni/explorer/pull/830);
* Improving the UI of the network-centric pages (https://github.com/ooni/explorer/issues/744, https://github.com/ooni/explorer/pull/830);  
* Finalizing the user feedback reporting mechanism (https://github.com/ooni/explorer/issues/811);
* Integrating third-party data (IODA, Cloudflare Radar, Google traffic data) for the monitoring of internet outages (https://github.com/ooni/explorer/pull/831).

As part of this work, we worked closely with a designer who carried out UX research with our community, helping to improve the design and usability of the above new features and pages.

## OONI backend

Through January 2023, we continued to work on a series of backend improvements.

Specifically, we:
* Added a feature flag for the Web Connectivity v0.5 experiment (https://github.com/ooni/api/pull/315);
* Added support for returning the test helper addresses as part of the check-in API (https://github.com/ooni/api/pull/316);
* Merged the initial VPN observation table and extraction into the fastpath pipeline (https://github.com/ooni/pipeline/pull/399);
* Removed the Tor and Psiphon configurations from the check-in API (https://github.com/ooni/api/pull/317);
* Wrote an internal design document for the check-in API authentication;
* Wrote an internal design document for our database backup strategy.

## Automating censorship detection and characterization based on OONI measurements

We made progress on the characterization of website censorship through our OONI data analysis tool (https://github.com/ooni/data/pull/23).

Specifically, we:
* Improved the DNS analysis;
* Made some tweaks to the TCP and NXDOMAIN scoring;
* Improved the TLS analysis to make use of HTTP measurements;
* Improved the code quality.

Moreover, we started implementing a set of data visualizations to be displayed from the OONI data web interface by integrating the vega generated charts into react. This lays the foundation for eventually integrating these charts into OONI Explorer (https://github.com/ooni/data/pull/25).

## Creating a Social Media Censorship Alert System

We continued to make progress on the initial event detector developed for the new Social Media Censorship Alert System (https://github.com/ooni/backend/issues/629). As part of this, we monitored our internal dashboard, ran experiments using the Pandas library, and created a CSV dump on S3 for reproducible testing. Based on the experiments, we made performance improvements and we implemented various changes to improve how cases of potential censorship are detected.

## Test list updates

We continued to work towards improving the test lists. Specifically, we updated the test lists for Tajikistan (https://github.com/citizenlab/test-lists/pull/1211), Nigeria (https://github.com/citizenlab/test-lists/pull/1208), and Russia (https://github.com/citizenlab/test-lists/pull/1206, https://github.com/citizenlab/test-lists/pull/1207).  

## OONI reports for the ISOC Pulse project on Internet shutdowns

As a data partner for the ISOC Pulse project on Internet shutdowns, we contributed OONI data (along with relevant charts and information) for the “service blocking” events listed on the ISOC Pulse shutdowns timeline: https://pulse.internetsociety.org/shutdowns  

Specifically, we created OONI reports (including OONI data, charts, and relevant interpretation of the findings) for many of the “service blocking” entries listed in the ISOC Pulse shutdown timeline. These reports will be added under the “Data and Analysis” section of relevant ISOC Pulse shutdown entries.

Throughout January 2023, we wrote OONI reports for the “service blocking” entries (where relevant OONI data exists) from 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2022 on the ISOC Pulse shutdown timeline.

## OONI data analysis

Throughout January 2023, we provided OONI data analysis support to community members, and we carried out various data analysis tasks in support of our own research. This includes a year-long analysis of OONI data collected from Russia (https://github.com/ooni/ooni.org/issues/1331), as well as analysis of OONI data collected from Venezuela (https://github.com/ooni/ooni.org/issues/1310).

## Creating a new OONI Outreach Kit

In January 2023, we finalized all of the materials for the new OONI Outreach Kit.

Specifically, we created and finalized the content for the following:

* 3 versions of an (1-page) OONI Probe Fact Sheet
* Long version (2-pages) of an OONI Probe Fact Sheet
* OONI Probe Fact Sheet for Elections
* Document with OONI Probe testing instructions
* 2 versions of an (1-page) OONI Explorer Fact Sheet
* OONI Explorer Fact Sheet for Researchers
* OONI Explorer Fact Sheet for Human Rights Advocates
* OONI Explorer Fact Sheet for Journalists
* Internet Censorship Fact Sheet
* Fact Sheet on How Websites are Blocked
* 2 versions of OONI Brochures
* OONI Resources document

Upon finalizing the Outreach Kit content, we contracted Ura Design (https://ura.design/) for the design of the materials.

## Coordination of translation of OONI documents

To enable more communities around the world to learn about OONI, we aim to have the following OONI documents translated:

* OONI Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ): https://ooni.org/support/faq
* OONI Glossary: https://ooni.org/support/glossary
* Potential risks associated with censorship measurement: https://ooni.org/about/risks/

To this end, we contracted translators for the translation of the above documents into the following 5 languages: Arabic, Farsi, Russia, Swahili, and Spanish.

We prioritized these 5 languages because they are spoken in many countries that experience high levels of internet censorship. We worked with translators who were already active in the OONI community and therefore more familiar with OONI’s terminologies, tools, and goals.  

In preparation for these translations, we wrote relevant translation guidelines, which we shared with each of the translators. We subsequently coordinated with the translators.

## Updated the OONI FAQ

On our website, we have an OONI Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section which aims to address the questions that we are frequently asked by the community (https://ooni.org/support/faq/).

In January 2023, we updated the OONI FAQ page to reflect changes in our tools and provide up-to-date information and links (https://github.com/ooni/ooni.org/pull/1334) – particularly in preparation for the translation of this content.

## Community use of OONI data

### Research report on VPN blocking in Uganda

Christopher Kalema (OPTIMA research fellow) published a research report investigating VPN blocking in Uganda and its impact on the country’s preparations for the 2021 general elections. This study made use of OONI data to investigate VPN blocking in Uganda.

The research report is available here: https://internews.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/VPN-Blocking-During-the-2021-Ugandan-Election.pdf  

### Pakistan started blocking Deutsche Welle (DW)

On 16th January 2023, OONI data shows that Pakistan started blocking access to Deutsche Welle (DW): https://explorer.ooni.org/chart/mat?probe_cc=PK&test_name=web_connectivity&domain=www.dw.com&since=2023-01-04&until=2023-02-04&axis_x=measurement_start_day

This was reported by Oliver Linow (Internet Freedom Specialist at DW), who shared OONI data on the blocking of DW: https://twitter.com/OliverLinow/status/1619282417629675522

## Community activities

### SFLC.in panel for the launch of a new report on website blocks in India

On 12th January 2023, OONI’s Maria participated as a panelist on SFLC.in’s panel “Error 404 Website Cannot Be Found”, which launched their new research report on website blocking in India (https://sflc.in/finding-404-report-website-blocking-india/).

Information about the event can be found here: https://sflc.in/error-404-website-cannot-be-found

The panel discussion was live-streamed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aB5hlX6dSoI

### OTF Summit

Between 24th-26th January 2023, OONI’s Arturo traveled to Texas to participate in the OTF Summit. As part of his participation, Arturo co-facilitated a session (in collaboration with Netalitica’s Igor Valentovitch) on investigating information controls through the use of OONI tools and the Citizen Lab’s test lists.

### Roskomsvoboda’s Privacy Day 2023 event

On 27th January 2023, OONI’s Maria participated as a speaker in Roskomsvoboda’s Privacy Day 2023 event (https://2023.privacyday.net/), as part of which she discussed how people in Russia can participate in OONI censorship measurement.

The event was live-streamed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUPYMW_tsUo

### OONI Community Meeting

On 31st January 2023, we hosted the monthly OONI Community Meeting on our Slack channel (https://slack.ooni.org/), during which we discussed the following topics:

1. Updates from the OONI team.
2. Updating the OONI Probe test for RiseupVPN.
3. OONI workshops and participation in events in the Global South in 2023.

## Measurement coverage

In January 2023, 60,858,923 OONI Probe measurements were collected from 2,899 AS networks in 168 countries around the world.

This information can also be found through our measurement stats on OONI Explorer (see chart on “monthly coverage worldwide”): https://explorer.ooni.org/

~ OONI team.