Open Technology Fund
@opentechfund.bsky.social
We advance internet freedom by supporting research, development, & implementation projects that fight censorship, increase privacy, and improve security online.
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opentech.fund
New @economist.com article cites @interseclab.bsky.social 's @opentechfund.bsky.social-supported research into how Chinese firm Geedge Networks exports internet-control technology.
www.economist.com/internationa...
www.economist.com/internationa...
China’s creepiest export surge
Countries are queuing to buy the tools and techniques of the CCP’s security state
www.economist.com
November 13, 2025 at 7:09 PM
New @economist.com article cites @interseclab.bsky.social 's @opentechfund.bsky.social-supported research into how Chinese firm Geedge Networks exports internet-control technology.
www.economist.com/internationa...
www.economist.com/internationa...
@opentechfund.bsky.social's Security Lab partner 7ASecurity’s recent audit of AmneziaVPN found that the #OpenSource tool is securely designed.
Learn more and access the full report:
buff.ly/IkxOUPj
Learn more and access the full report:
buff.ly/IkxOUPj
November 3, 2025 at 5:04 PM
@opentechfund.bsky.social's Security Lab partner 7ASecurity’s recent audit of AmneziaVPN found that the #OpenSource tool is securely designed.
Learn more and access the full report:
buff.ly/IkxOUPj
Learn more and access the full report:
buff.ly/IkxOUPj
@opentechfund.bsky.social's Security Lab partner 0xche's recent audit of Mailvelope found that the #OpenSource tool is securely designed.
Learn more and access the full audit report:
buff.ly/SUI6Rwb
Learn more and access the full audit report:
buff.ly/SUI6Rwb
October 27, 2025 at 4:05 PM
@opentechfund.bsky.social's Security Lab partner 0xche's recent audit of Mailvelope found that the #OpenSource tool is securely designed.
Learn more and access the full audit report:
buff.ly/SUI6Rwb
Learn more and access the full audit report:
buff.ly/SUI6Rwb
An op-ed in @thedispatchmedia.bsky.social by former Congressional staffer Grant Mullins tells the history of how Rep. McCaul & Sen. Blackburn championed the Open Technology Fund Authorization Act -- and what we've been able to accomplish since its enactment.
thedispatch.com/article/open...
thedispatch.com/article/open...
Why the Open Technology Fund Is Worth Saving
The government-funded nonprofit has helped millions living under authoritarianism access the internet safely.
thedispatch.com
October 23, 2025 at 4:11 PM
An op-ed in @thedispatchmedia.bsky.social by former Congressional staffer Grant Mullins tells the history of how Rep. McCaul & Sen. Blackburn championed the Open Technology Fund Authorization Act -- and what we've been able to accomplish since its enactment.
thedispatch.com/article/open...
thedispatch.com/article/open...
"Users have a false sense of security because a nation-state threat actor can see everything the users of these products are doing," @opentechfund.sky.social-supported Benjamin Mixon-Baca to @news.dw.com on privacy & security issues he found in widely-used commercial VPNs.
buff.ly/niulhHM
buff.ly/niulhHM
Anything but safe: Using VPN can bear immense risks – DW – 09/20/2025
A new study reveals that popular VPN connections provide less safety than widely believed. The findings are alarming, especially for users in authoritarian states.
www.dw.com
September 22, 2025 at 4:58 PM
"Users have a false sense of security because a nation-state threat actor can see everything the users of these products are doing," @opentechfund.sky.social-supported Benjamin Mixon-Baca to @news.dw.com on privacy & security issues he found in widely-used commercial VPNs.
buff.ly/niulhHM
buff.ly/niulhHM
“This is very frightening,” @interseclab.bsky.social's Marla Rivera explained the technical details of new @opentechfund.bsky.social - supported research into Geedge Networks’ censorship and surveillance technologies to @wired.com.
Geedge Networks, a company with ties to the founder of China’s mass censorship infrastructure, is selling its censorship and surveillance systems to at least four other countries in Asia and Africa. www.wired.com/story/geedge...
Massive Leak Shows How a Chinese Company Is Exporting the Great Firewall to the World
Geedge Networks, a company with ties to the founder of China’s mass censorship infrastructure, is selling its censorship and surveillance systems to at least four other countries in Asia and Africa.
www.wired.com
September 18, 2025 at 1:02 PM
“This is very frightening,” @interseclab.bsky.social's Marla Rivera explained the technical details of new @opentechfund.bsky.social - supported research into Geedge Networks’ censorship and surveillance technologies to @wired.com.
ICYM: @opentechfund.bsky.social-supported research from Ben Mixon-Baca sheds light on the egregious transparency and security vulnerabilities of 16 commercial VPN apps linked to the CCP that put more than 700 million users at risk of authoritarian surveillance.
www.opentech.fund/news/who-own...
www.opentech.fund/news/who-own...
September 17, 2025 at 1:32 PM
ICYM: @opentechfund.bsky.social-supported research from Ben Mixon-Baca sheds light on the egregious transparency and security vulnerabilities of 16 commercial VPN apps linked to the CCP that put more than 700 million users at risk of authoritarian surveillance.
www.opentech.fund/news/who-own...
www.opentech.fund/news/who-own...
New @opentechfund.bsky.social-supported research from @interseclab.bsky.social and partners uncovers how Chinese company Geedge Networks is exporting a comprehensive, turnkey surveillance and censorship system worldwide.
Learn more:
buff.ly/R7FJAyD
Learn more:
buff.ly/R7FJAyD
September 16, 2025 at 4:03 PM
New @opentechfund.bsky.social-supported research from @interseclab.bsky.social and partners uncovers how Chinese company Geedge Networks is exporting a comprehensive, turnkey surveillance and censorship system worldwide.
Learn more:
buff.ly/R7FJAyD
Learn more:
buff.ly/R7FJAyD
New research from @opentechfund.bsky.social-supported @interseclab.bsky.social & partners uncovers how a Chinese company exports tools for mass & precision surveillance & censorship—transforming how quickly & easily states can control digital communications (1/2).
interseclab.org/wp-content/u...
interseclab.org/wp-content/u...
September 9, 2025 at 7:50 PM
New research from @opentechfund.bsky.social-supported @interseclab.bsky.social & partners uncovers how a Chinese company exports tools for mass & precision surveillance & censorship—transforming how quickly & easily states can control digital communications (1/2).
interseclab.org/wp-content/u...
interseclab.org/wp-content/u...
Reposted by Open Technology Fund
As part of a consortium of researchers and journalists, I spent the better part of a year digging into leaked documents from Chinese security company Geedge, which plays a pivotal role exporting the Great Firewall around the world: www.theglobeandmail.com/gift/15c699a...
Leaked files show a Chinese company is exporting the Great Firewall’s censorship technology
Geedge Networks is providing censorship capabilities to foreign governments, including those in Myanmar, Pakistan, Ethiopia and Kazakhstan
www.theglobeandmail.com
September 9, 2025 at 4:51 AM
As part of a consortium of researchers and journalists, I spent the better part of a year digging into leaked documents from Chinese security company Geedge, which plays a pivotal role exporting the Great Firewall around the world: www.theglobeandmail.com/gift/15c699a...
Reposted by Open Technology Fund
We gave a interview about our new research The Internet Coup to @wired.com. Check their article on www.wired.com/story/geedge...
Massive Leak Shows How a Chinese Company Is Exporting the Great Firewall to the World
Geedge Networks, a company with ties to the founder of China’s mass censorship infrastructure, is selling its censorship and surveillance systems to at least four other countries in Asia and Africa.
www.wired.com
September 9, 2025 at 5:01 AM
We gave a interview about our new research The Internet Coup to @wired.com. Check their article on www.wired.com/story/geedge...
Reposted by Open Technology Fund
New Research: Our investigation indicates that the Chinese company Geedge Networks is exporting mass surveillance and censorship technology to Myanmar, Pakistan, Kazakhstan and Ethiopia. #GreatFirewallExport (1/5)
September 9, 2025 at 4:32 AM
New Research: Our investigation indicates that the Chinese company Geedge Networks is exporting mass surveillance and censorship technology to Myanmar, Pakistan, Kazakhstan and Ethiopia. #GreatFirewallExport (1/5)
@opentechfund.bsky.social’s Security Lab partner Radically Open Security’s recent audit of Tails found that the operating system is well designed from a security perspective.
Learn more and access the full report:
buff.ly/0Vnda8P
Learn more and access the full report:
buff.ly/0Vnda8P
September 8, 2025 at 4:05 PM
@opentechfund.bsky.social’s Security Lab partner Radically Open Security’s recent audit of Tails found that the operating system is well designed from a security perspective.
Learn more and access the full report:
buff.ly/0Vnda8P
Learn more and access the full report:
buff.ly/0Vnda8P
New research from @opentechfund.bsky.social’s ICFP Fellow Benjamin Mixon-Baca includes analysis of 16 commercial VPN apps that are popular in authoritarian contexts.
Learn about their suspicious operations, security vulnerabilities, and more:
www.opentech.fund/news/who-own...
Learn about their suspicious operations, security vulnerabilities, and more:
www.opentech.fund/news/who-own...
September 2, 2025 at 4:10 PM
New research from @opentechfund.bsky.social’s ICFP Fellow Benjamin Mixon-Baca includes analysis of 16 commercial VPN apps that are popular in authoritarian contexts.
Learn about their suspicious operations, security vulnerabilities, and more:
www.opentech.fund/news/who-own...
Learn about their suspicious operations, security vulnerabilities, and more:
www.opentech.fund/news/who-own...
@opentechfund.bsky.social’s Security Lab partner Radically Open Security’s recent audit of @ooni.org found that their services and architecture are securely designed.
Learn more and access the full report:
www.opentech.fund/security-saf...
Learn more and access the full report:
www.opentech.fund/security-saf...
August 11, 2025 at 4:06 PM
@opentechfund.bsky.social’s Security Lab partner Radically Open Security’s recent audit of @ooni.org found that their services and architecture are securely designed.
Learn more and access the full report:
www.opentech.fund/security-saf...
Learn more and access the full report:
www.opentech.fund/security-saf...
@chinafile.bsky.social’s Jessica Batke and @whiskeyocelot.bsky.social, authors of a new report that reshapes our understanding of Chinese censorship, spoke to the @washingtonpost.com about how the “Locknet” works.
www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/0...
www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/0...
July 15, 2025 at 6:21 PM
@chinafile.bsky.social’s Jessica Batke and @whiskeyocelot.bsky.social, authors of a new report that reshapes our understanding of Chinese censorship, spoke to the @washingtonpost.com about how the “Locknet” works.
www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/0...
www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/0...
Reposted by Open Technology Fund
I talked to @washingtonpost.com for this piece on China's digital ID system. It's a great example of two key features of the Locknet: 1) different aspects of the censorship system reinforce each other, and 2) pushing the policeman into citizens heads.
wapo.st/4kBkkEc
wapo.st/4kBkkEc
Big Brother gets new powers in China with digital ID system
China is launching a digital ID system, giving Beijing greater control over online activity and further raising concerns about surveillance and censorship.
wapo.st
July 15, 2025 at 1:41 PM
I talked to @washingtonpost.com for this piece on China's digital ID system. It's a great example of two key features of the Locknet: 1) different aspects of the censorship system reinforce each other, and 2) pushing the policeman into citizens heads.
wapo.st/4kBkkEc
wapo.st/4kBkkEc
Reposted by Open Technology Fund
"In practice, online censorship in China functions more like a massive water management system: an amalgamation of canals and locks that regulates what flows, through which particular channels, and at what times." locknet.chinafile.com/the-locknet/...
The Locknet: How China Controls Its Internet and Why It Matters
June 30, 2025 The man gazes earnestly into the camera, the glow from his computer monitor reflecting off his black-rimmed glasses. “This is more than just a cultural moment,” he says with a smile. “It...
locknet.chinafile.com
July 3, 2025 at 6:32 PM
"In practice, online censorship in China functions more like a massive water management system: an amalgamation of canals and locks that regulates what flows, through which particular channels, and at what times." locknet.chinafile.com/the-locknet/...
Reposted by Open Technology Fund
I highly recommend this piece on internet censorship in China by Jessica Batke and @whiskeyocelot.bsky.social locknet.chinafile.com/the-locknet/... Whether you're an expert on the topic or completely new to it, I can guarantee you will come away with a better understanding.
The Locknet: How China Controls Its Internet and Why It Matters
The man gazes earnestly into the camera, the glow from his computer monitor reflecting off his black-rimmed glasses. “This is more than just a cultural moment,” he says with a smile. “It’s something t...
locknet.chinafile.com
July 1, 2025 at 8:07 PM
I highly recommend this piece on internet censorship in China by Jessica Batke and @whiskeyocelot.bsky.social locknet.chinafile.com/the-locknet/... Whether you're an expert on the topic or completely new to it, I can guarantee you will come away with a better understanding.
Reposted by Open Technology Fund
Amazing work here. One of the smartest and most comprehensive reports ever done on Chinese censorship -- a topic that's going to become so much more relevant as DeepSeek and other Chinese LLMs continue to grab territory
NEW: A ChinaFile investigation into China's powerful, but leaky, internet censorship system at locknet.chinafile.com
1/21
1/21
July 1, 2025 at 1:46 AM
Amazing work here. One of the smartest and most comprehensive reports ever done on Chinese censorship -- a topic that's going to become so much more relevant as DeepSeek and other Chinese LLMs continue to grab territory
New @opentechfund.bsky.social-supported research reshapes our understanding of Chinese censorship. It's not simply a "firewall," it's a "locknet"—a dynamic, multi-layered system of total information control.
NEW: A ChinaFile investigation into China's powerful, but leaky, internet censorship system at locknet.chinafile.com
1/21
1/21
June 30, 2025 at 5:28 PM
New @opentechfund.bsky.social-supported research reshapes our understanding of Chinese censorship. It's not simply a "firewall," it's a "locknet"—a dynamic, multi-layered system of total information control.
Supported by @opentechfund.bsky.social: @chinafile.bsky.social’s Jessica Batke & @whiskeyocelot.bsky.social explain that Chinese censorship isn’t simply a “firewall, but a “locknet” – a multi-level system of socio-technical controls. (1/4)
locknet.chinafile.com/the-locknet/...
locknet.chinafile.com/the-locknet/...
June 30, 2025 at 3:49 PM
Supported by @opentechfund.bsky.social: @chinafile.bsky.social’s Jessica Batke & @whiskeyocelot.bsky.social explain that Chinese censorship isn’t simply a “firewall, but a “locknet” – a multi-level system of socio-technical controls. (1/4)
locknet.chinafile.com/the-locknet/...
locknet.chinafile.com/the-locknet/...
@opentechfund.bsky.social’s UXD Lab has provided more than 190 usability-support engagements for internet freedom tools.
Learn more about the Lab and other key results from our internet freedom work:
Learn more about the Lab and other key results from our internet freedom work:
Impacts and Outcomes
We have supported pioneering open source internet freedom technologies that counter authoritarian information controls and enhance digital security and privacy so that all people can exercise their fundamental...
buff.ly
June 26, 2025 at 6:03 PM
@opentechfund.bsky.social’s UXD Lab has provided more than 190 usability-support engagements for internet freedom tools.
Learn more about the Lab and other key results from our internet freedom work:
Learn more about the Lab and other key results from our internet freedom work:
📣NEW REPORT from @freedomhouse.bsky.social explains why anti-censorship and secure messaging tech are foundational to a free and open internet—underscoring the importance of @opentechfund.bsky.social’s countering digital authoritarianism. (1/4)
globalgovernanceprogramme.eui.eu/wp-content/u...
globalgovernanceprogramme.eui.eu/wp-content/u...
globalgovernanceprogramme.eui.eu
June 25, 2025 at 2:31 PM
📣NEW REPORT from @freedomhouse.bsky.social explains why anti-censorship and secure messaging tech are foundational to a free and open internet—underscoring the importance of @opentechfund.bsky.social’s countering digital authoritarianism. (1/4)
globalgovernanceprogramme.eui.eu/wp-content/u...
globalgovernanceprogramme.eui.eu/wp-content/u...
TechRadar: “Iran encourages citizens to use a messaging app previously flagged as a state surveillance tool” by @opentechfund.bsky.social.
Our Security Lab found that the domestic Bale Messenger compromises user data and puts their privacy and security at risk.
www.techradar.com/vpn/vpn-priv...
Our Security Lab found that the domestic Bale Messenger compromises user data and puts their privacy and security at risk.
www.techradar.com/vpn/vpn-priv...
June 24, 2025 at 6:49 PM
TechRadar: “Iran encourages citizens to use a messaging app previously flagged as a state surveillance tool” by @opentechfund.bsky.social.
Our Security Lab found that the domestic Bale Messenger compromises user data and puts their privacy and security at risk.
www.techradar.com/vpn/vpn-priv...
Our Security Lab found that the domestic Bale Messenger compromises user data and puts their privacy and security at risk.
www.techradar.com/vpn/vpn-priv...