The internet should be open to everyone.

Free expression and equal access are two sides of the same right. This page is about both: resisting censorship, and building a web that works for every person, on every device, including the ones that don’t exist yet.

Understand censorship Build for everyone

What censorship looks like

It is rarely a single dramatic switch. Most of the time it is quiet, technical and easy to miss, which is why it works.

Blocking and filtering

Websites, apps or whole protocols are made unreachable by DNS tampering, IP blocking or deep packet inspection.

Throttling and shutdowns

Connections are slowed until video and messaging are useless, or the network is cut entirely during protests and elections.

Takedowns and pressure

Platforms are pushed to delete lawful speech. Journalists, researchers and activists face legal threats and harassment.

Surveillance and self-censorship

When people believe they are watched, they stop speaking. The chilling effect is censorship without a single block.

Staying connected

No tool is a magic shield, and none replaces local legal and safety advice. But these are widely used, open and well reviewed starting points.

Encrypted DNS

DNS over HTTPS or TLS stops simple DNS-level blocking and keeps your lookups private from your network.

Tor and bridges

Tor routes traffic through several relays. Bridges and pluggable transports help where Tor itself is blocked.

End-to-end encryption

Use messengers where only the sender and recipient can read messages, and enable disappearing messages when it matters.

Mirrors and archives

Publishers can keep mirrors, offer a Tor onion address, and archive their work so one takedown is not the end of it.

Open measurement

Projects such as OONI let volunteers test and publicly document what is blocked, and where.

Digital hygiene

Strong unique passwords, a password manager, two-factor authentication and timely updates stop most real-world attacks.

Accessible means free

A page that someone cannot read, hear, navigate or afford to load is a page that is censored by design. Accessibility is part of online freedom.

The basics, done properly

  • Semantic HTML with real headings, landmarks, lists and buttons.
  • Everything usable by keyboard alone, with a visible focus indicator.
  • Text alternatives for images; captions and transcripts for audio and video.
  • Sufficient contrast, resizable text and layouts that adapt to any screen.
  • Respect for user settings: dark mode, reduced motion, larger fonts.
  • Plain language, and pages light enough for slow or expensive connections.

New technologies, same rights

Every new interface can include people or leave them out. Aim to include them from day one.

  • Screen readers
  • Voice assistants
  • AI-generated captions
  • Automatic alt text
  • Real-time translation
  • Augmented and virtual reality
  • Wearables
  • Brain–computer interfaces
  • Low-bandwidth and offline-first

AI can lower barriers with captions, summaries and translation, but it can also introduce biased filters and opaque moderation. Automated systems should be transparent, contestable and tested with disabled users, not only for them.

What we stand for

  • Everyone may speak and read.Access to information and expression is a human right, online and offline.
  • Restrictions must be lawful, necessary and proportionate.Blanket blocks and shutdowns fail that test.
  • Privacy protects speech.Strong encryption and minimal data collection are conditions of free expression.
  • Design for the widest range of people.Accessibility is a requirement, not a feature added later.
  • Keep the web open and interoperable.Open standards and open source keep gatekeepers honest.

Learn more and get help

Independent organisations doing the work. Links open on their own sites.