RWB launches anti-censorship site

Reporters Without Borders have presented WeFightCensorship (WeFC), a website on which the non-profit organisation will publish content that has been “censored or banned or has given rise to reprisals against its creator,” they said.

The main objective of the site, which is available in English and French, is to make censorship obsolete and complement RWB's activities in defence of freedom of information, which include advocacy, lobbying and assistance.

WeFC will accept material in any format, such as video, audio, pictures or documents. Besides, journalists and netizens will have the possibility of submitting content anonymously and securely, after being considered for publication.

The content selected by the editorial committee will be accompanied by a description of the context and creator, and copies of documents relating to the proceedings under which it was banned or other documents that might help the public to understand its importance. All documents will be published in their original version and in translation.

In order to avoid attempts of filtering or blocking, the site is designed to be easily duplicated and mirror versions (exact copies of the site)  will be also created. Likewise, Internet users will be asked to circulate the censored content to give it as much visibility as possible.

"Reporters Without Borders is providing a deterrent designed to encourage governments and others to respect freedom of information, the freedom that allows us to verify that all the other freedoms are being respected”, RSF secretary-general Christophe Deloire explaeined.

“This website aims to exploit the so-called ‘Streisand effect,’ under which the more you try to censor content online, the more the Internet community tends to circulate it”, he continued.

The website will also offer a "digital survival kit" with information about Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), encryption software such as TrueCrypt, online anonymization techniques and other tools  to protect sources and even their own safety.

The WeFC project is supported by the European Union's European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR) and the Paris City Hall.