Defying Digital Despotism: A How-To Guide for Navigating Censorship and Accessing Unfiltered Information
This guide provides insights and tools to access unfiltered content, promoting digital literacy and open communication in the face of increasing online restrictions.
Access to information, literacy, honest and open communication - these are the foundations of a sound mind and soul. Artificial intelligence and internet access present what may be the most significant threat to fascism and tyranny in man’s collective memory. Indignant authorities are desperate to suppress the potential within these technologies, and fostering fear is their main strategy.
We have all heard world leaders warn against the danger ‘disinformation’ poses to the public, and although rarely noticed, we have all been impacted by the tyrannical censorship thus justified.Neo-fascist regimes seek to increase their power by diminishing access to legitimate sources of power (something they wouldn't understand) and we can fight back best only by encouraging each other to develop digital literacy and explore the open internet and all it has to offer.
For the sake of this essay, I’ve coined the term ⛔INFRA-FASCISTS⛔ to describe individuals and entities who attempt to silence dissenting opinions, infringe on others’ right to be informed, and enforce their sick, distorted ideologies through violence and fear. Infra-fascists are the ultimate expression of eugenicist and supremacist values, and their historical atrocities still echo around the world today, as we will witness during our exploration of the internet they never expect the outside world to access. A good way to start is by arming ourselves with the widest array of information and resources available.
The simplest thing to do to expand the information you have access to is to utilize different search engines. Yandex, for example, is a great alternative search engine that you can access on any internet browser without having to download any extra software or jump through any hoops. To show how significant the difference is, I decided to look up a controversial topic to show the difference in search results between Google and Yandex, using a Firefox search engine.
One of the most powerful tools at the disposal of infra-fascists are the laws and regulations they use to silence their opponents. These regulations can be safely bypassed however with the use of a Virtual Private Networks (VPN). Unless you live in Belarus, Iraq, North Korea or Turkmenistan, using a VPN is perfectly legal, and allows access to websites, services, and other online materials that would otherwise be blocked by censorship laws by IP address in order to make it seem as though you are browsing from somewhere else. Each VPN service offers a different range of servers to route through, so you’ll want to look for one that has wide ranges of locations. I use UrbanVPN (not an advertisement - it really is just what I happen to use) but there are plenty of other options as well.
Once you have a VPN you can access what is commonly referred to as the “dark web,” which is really just the Tor internet browser. It’s easy to download and the biggest difference you’ll notice is that instead of using .com or .org addresses, links will end with .onion. Regular search engines won’t normally provide .onion links in the search results, so here is a .onion search engine that can be used on any browser. If you’re looking for information on a topic you suspect might be censored, you can simply search in here after turning on your VPN and then copy and paste it into your Tor browser. If you really want a wide array of responses you can change the location of your VPN and brown different results that may not be available in some locations. In my opinion, playing around with this is one of the best ways to research a topic.
Using these tools to assess the various movements and ideologies in the world is fundamental for determining what is going on and why. This ability to read between the lines allows for a decisive and resolute way of relating to the world around you. It is the definition of strength and power. The public perception surrounding the “dark net,” for a lot of people, has cultivated an aura of fear surrounding access to the open internet. Subsequently it is understandable to be apprehensive about diving into the deep and wide web we are so fortunate to have access to.
Remember - as long as you’re not downloading or purchasing illegal content or substances, you’re not in violation of the law. That said, I always recommend having an attorney on retainer that you have a good relationship with, especially if you work in media. No one is immune from being targeted or arrested for their political views and beliefs, regardless of what’s printed on any document, and no government has an inherent interest in respecting your or acknowledging your rights. The threat posed to the world by the rising spread of fascism is rising and resonant. The battle for truth is not new and rarely victorious, and we are all conscripted in the fight.
We are blessed for the opportunity.
-The Shultz Report by M. Shultz