Fox News reports that the U.S. State Department has completed a privacy-focused and anonymity-focused application called Freedom.gov, aiming to allow users worldwide, even in highly censored environments like China and Iran, to access the same online content as those within the United States. The official statement indicates that the platform is expected to launch in the coming weeks.
The State Department launched Freedom.gov, and even then, the US could not track users.
The report indicates that Freedom.gov supports desktop and mobile devices, and is compatible with iOS and Android systems. The core goal of the application is to provide a technical alternative for users in internet censorship environments to combat measures including China's "Great Firewall," Iran's internet blockade, and Europe's recently strengthened content regulation policies.
The State Department emphasizes that Freedom.gov is designed to be completely open source, allowing anyone to examine its operation, and incorporates multiple layers of anonymity protection. The official statement explains that the application does not record any personally identifiable information, including:
- IP address
- Use of session data
- Browsing activities
- DNS lookup
- Device identification code
A State Department official stated, "For complete transparency, we made Freedom.gov completely open source; we also made it completely anonymous. Anyone can understand how it works, but no one—including ourselves—can track or identify users."
On the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, the commitment to freedom of speech was emphasized.
However, whether Freedom.gov can maintain its usability in a highly censored environment depends on its technical design and response capabilities. Past experience shows that governments implementing strict internet controls often quickly block related tools, including restricting app downloads, blocking domains, reducing connection speeds, and even imposing legal penalties on users.
Sarah Rogers, Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs who leads the initiative, stated, "Freedom.gov is an important extension of the State Department's long-standing advocacy for fundamental freedoms, both online and offline. It's a global initiative, but its mission has a distinctly American character. On the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, it reaffirms our commitment to free speech."
This article, titled "US State Department Launches Privacy-Defending Circumvention Program Freedom.gov! Breaking the 'Great Firewall' of Iran and China," first appeared on ABMedia ABMedia .
