The US State Department is set to launch a breakthrough internet platform named Freedom.gov to assist people in China, Iran, and other countries under strict internet censorship in attaining online freedom. The news has sparked reactions within the overseas Chinese community, receiving approval from dissidents in China. Although experts recognize its political significance, there is cautious scrutiny regarding its technical feasibility.
The Freedom.gov platform aims to provide users in countries with stringent internet censorship the ability to connect to an uncensored online environment. It is expected to go live in the coming weeks under the leadership of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
According to reports from Fox News, Freedom.gov will offer versions for iOS, Android mobile devices, and desktops, featuring a user-friendly “One-click” design. To ensure privacy and security, the program adopts an open-source model and integrates an anonymous protection mechanism that does not retain users’ IP addresses, browsing activities, or any identifiable data. In terms of technical details, the platform may include Virtual Private Network (VPN) functionality.
For years, the Chinese Communist regime’s “Great Firewall of China” has restricted access for Chinese citizens to websites outside the country, suppressing their efforts to bypass these restrictions. However, Chinese diplomats and those tasked with missions are granted the “privilege” of accessing external websites.
During former President Trump’s administration, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo repeatedly criticized China’s “Great Firewall,” notably during a speech titled “The Promise of America” at the Ronald Reagan Institute’s Center for Freedom and Democracy on November 10, 2020.
Pompeo unequivocally stated that the United States would help the Chinese people tear down the digital Great Firewall, enabling them to access free information and make choices distinct from the Communist Party’s control. He referenced the iconic phrase from former President Reagan in front of the Berlin Wall, “Tear down this wall,” drawing parallels to China’s digital “Firewall.”
The announcement of Freedom.gov being launched under Secretary Rubio’s leadership during President Trump’s second term has generated widespread enthusiasm within the overseas Chinese community and on social media platforms like X, receiving extensive shares and positive reactions.
Leading figure of the ’89 Democracy Movement in mainland China, Jifeng, expressed to Dajiyuan, “This is a tremendous development that will allow Chinese people to better understand the outside world and awaken more of the ‘little pinks.’ The United States should have taken such action long ago!”
Dissident Du Caimu, based in mainland China, shared with Dajiyuan that she had been aware of the evils of the CCP since childhood. The introduction of the Freedom.gov platform by the United States supporting freedom of speech for oppressed populations in various countries allows blinded individuals to enjoy online freedom and see through the hypocrisy of authoritarian governments.
Despite the optimism surrounding Freedom.gov, there are lingering doubts about its technical feasibility.
Deputy Researcher at the Institute for National Defense and Security Studies in Taiwan, Zeng Yishuo, mentioned to Dajiyuan that the platform’s usage of an open-source model to provide access to free information without leaving traces and ensuring anonymity is crucial. However, individuals within authoritarian countries facing internet restrictions may still need to rely on VPNs to access external online content. Introducing this platform is a step in the right direction, enabling users to access a broader range of content in one place.
Furthermore, there are reports indicating that Freedom.gov might include Virtual Private Network (VPN) functionality to enhance its offerings.
Zeng Yishuo emphasized that internet freedom in restricted countries can take different forms, such as blocking access to content, as seen in China, or even cutting off internet access altogether, as sometimes done in Iran. The European Union imposes content-related demands on platform operators. “Some countries may shut down the internet, which the US cannot control, but as long as the internet remains accessible, people in those countries can circumvent restrictions through various means. The US hopes to provide a tool to maintain internet freedom,” he stated.
Assistant Researcher at the Institute for National Defense and Security Studies in Taiwan, Wang Xiowen, pointed out to Dajiyuan that the US’s move aims to break through China’s control over the online space, primarily targeting civil society in China. However, the US has overlooked compatibility issues with Chinese smartphone brands like Xiaomi, OPPO, vivo, and Huawei, which primarily use deeply customized versions of the Android operating system like HyperOS, ColorOS, or Huawei’s HarmonyOS. While HarmonyOS is compatible with Android applications, it does not support Google services, raising concerns regarding how Chinese citizens could utilize the new internet platform.
Du Caimu in mainland China stated that the new Freedom.gov platform from the US is likely to attract Chinese users, but sustaining its effectiveness in bypassing rigorous scrutiny measures will require continual technological upgrades. The CCP could implement countermeasures, such as strengthening internet surveillance, deploying deceptive “secure” tools to mislead users, or resorting to rogue hacker attacks. Additionally, users utilizing the platform still face risks concerning freedom of speech.
Zeng Yishuo noted that countries with restricted internet access may introduce increasingly stringent measures, posing challenges for the operation of the US’s Freedom.gov platform, which must consider these factors during its design phase.
On January 31, China’s Ministry of Public Security issued a draft of the “Cybercrime Prevention Law” emphasizing the prevention of access to foreign free information and explicitly prohibiting individuals and organizations from providing technical support, such as VPN tools, to aid others in accessing blocked foreign content. This move has sparked outrage, with legal professionals both domestically and internationally criticizing it as unconstitutional and illegal.
Zeng Yishuo pointed out that the Chinese authorities are aware that they cannot entirely suppress circumvention of the “Great Firewall.” In reality, the authorities need external engagements, including conducting cognitive subversion operations abroad, necessitating a selective approach to handling bypasses such as internet censorship. While the CCP may further tighten restrictions on internet circumvention, the establishment of this platform by the US still holds significance in allowing mainland Chinese internet users easier access to the truth.
Du Caimu also sees the US initiative as a form of exporting digital values, despite facing resistance from authoritarian rulers. However, since this move challenges the core of autocrats’ power, it could potentially lead to profound geopolitical shifts in the future, manifesting the triumph of freedom.
Some experts have suggested that pairing Freedom.gov with Starlink’s “Breaking down the Wall” initiative is viable, although Starlink remains off-limits in mainland China.
Starlink offers global satellite internet coverage, permitting users’ terminals to directly connect with low-orbit satellites, independent of China’s local network infrastructure, theoretically enabling access to the international internet. This design fundamentally allows bypassing China’s internal network filtering and censorship mechanisms. However, practical use is limited by terminal equipment, signal coverage, and space link conditions.
Wang Xiowen highlighted that there is an inevitable trend of national-level technological upgrades for countermeasures, data blocking, and anti-blocking strategies, especially given the digital sovereignty’s core significance in diplomacy, potentially being viewed as part of national sovereignty boundaries.
On February 14, the Vietnamese government officially issued a permit to Elon Musk’s Starlink company, allowing its local subsidiary to operate its satellite internet service in Vietnam. Chinese netizens have expressed envy towards Vietnam for this development.