Research
CRC aims to expand its research arm to encompass three objectives:
Understand the reach and extent of censorship worldwide. Internet censorship will become more pervasive as oppressive regimes appreciate the extent to which the Internet empowers ordinary citizens. CRC seeks to possess a detailed understanding of the technology and policies of censorship throughout the world and of the different social, institutional, and technical mechanisms used to implement censorship in various settings.
Monitor the way respective governments implement censorship. CRC’s research will monitor the way individual governments implement censorship. The Iranian government’s censorship scheme has evolved from a disjointed, simple filtering package, implemented by individual providers, to a centralized system that allows the government to monitor, block, and alter virtually all Internet communications with a single command. These technical developments have been accompanied by new laws restricting Internet speech and new entities charged with the enforcement of those laws. Understanding and monitoring the implementation of specific censorship programs in Iran and elsewhere is crucial to the CRC’s efforts to safeguard the right to free communication.
Continually research and evaluate developments in science and technology used for censorship. CRC’s research will keep it at the forefront of scientific and technical developments in the field of censorship. Iran has created research infrastructures dedicated to the development of censorship technologies that can counter anti-filtering programs like Haystack and Freegate. It has been aided in its efforts by the private industry, exemplified by the deal with Nokia-Siemens under which the Iranian government enhanced its monitoring capabilities. The CRC continues to research different methods to combat censorship and upgrade its existing programs.
The fruits of CRC’s research will be used to develop, update, and implement effective and targeted anti-censorship systems and strategies. In the case of Iran, the CRC’s analysis of the government’s censorship infrastructure was crucial to the development of Haystack, a program designed specifically to counter the Islamic Republic’s filtering mechanism. As the Iranian government shifts its censorship strategy, the CRC will modify its anti-censorship tools and techniques accordingly.
