A law suit has been filed in California alleging U.S. internet resource company Cisco helped Chinese authorities with technology used for online censorship and monitoring, particularly of Falun Gong practitioners.
The New York Times says a federal lawsuit filed last week by Falun Gong claimed Cisco, the maker of Internet routing gear, customized its technology to help China track its members.
The use of proxy servers and portals is a key way to get past government censorship in countries like China and Iran.
One of the most popular is Freegate. But many Chinese netizens are cautious about using it because it was developed by the Falun Gong, the mass movement outlawed in China as an “evil cult.”
Some are wary of the organization for philosophical reasons, while others feel it will draw attention from the authorities.
Alternatives to the Falun Gong sites do exist, however. One worth looking at is SSL VPN (Virtual Private Networks).
For some first-hand experience, try “Dan’s Adventure” — a travel chronicle that details the writer’s use of VPN in China to send secure e-mail, access Web sites, and keep in touch online.
VPN has an advantage in that it doesn’t require the download of software onto the user’s computer.
Witopia is popular and fast though relatively expensive at U.S. $50 – $60 a year.
Hotspot Shield is also popular. And free.