How Syrian Activists Can Get Around The Internet Blackout

Syria's Internet shutoff is unprecedented in world history. Although Egypt shut off the bulk of their Internet in 2011 in a last-ditch attempt to save the Mubarak regime, essential infrastructure such as the stock exchange and government networks were still connected to the outside world. By contrast, Syria has cut everyone--elite and commoners--off from conventional Internet access within the span of minutes. The only exception are those with expensive satellite modems. Telecomix, an informal collective of Internet freedom activists working worldwide, quickly publicly issued a series of dial-up log-ins for Syrian Internet users, with the caveat that they are likely being monitored by Syrian government authorities.