Open access to the free Internet
Psiphon APK is a free vpn app for Android, iOS, and Windows 7, 8, or 10. A circumvention tool from Psiphon Inc, the program uses VPN, SSH, and HTTP Proxy technology to grant you uncensored access to any content on the Internet. Developed in Canada, Psiphon APK is used by millions of people in over 200 countries.
Your VIP pass for restricted sites
The Internet was always intended to be a place of unblocked, uncensored communication and commerce, and Psiphon VPN is a free service that ensures you get to enjoy it as such. The app sidesteps government blocks and geo-restrictions, automatically learning new access points to maximize your chance of accessing previously blocked sites. You can think of it as a skeleton key that opens any virtual door.
Developed in 2007, Psiphon has a straightforward goal: Facilitate access to websites and services that have been blocked, censored, or made otherwise unavailable. The company’s original concept was an Internet proxy that was both easy for novice users to pick up and get running, and lightweight enough that it would not bloat mobile devices.
In spite of the ‘free Internet’ being a place of unrestricted meanderings, stumbling across a blocked site remains a frustratingly common occurrence. The issue becomes more ubiquitous as you travel from country to country, as different governments have differing censorship laws. Whether it’s to tune into your favorite news broadcast or add an extra layer of protection for public wi-fi, Psiphon is a safe, consistent tool for accessing the Internet.
As a forerunner in VPN services, Psiphon was designed to bypass the restrictions laid down by countries who hold information captive. Psiphon combats content filters that otherwise censor websites, and it does so without having to manage a mammoth tech network that people can just tap into. While the core mechanics of a VPN are not new, Psiphon goes about them in a creative way.
Strong community, strong VPN
Instead of offering a company-based network of locations to mask users, Psiphon was designed for individual installation on personal computers and mobile devices. Users host private connections in countries where content is blocked. “The idea is to get users to install this on their computer and then deliver the location of that circumventor,” explains malware expert and director of FireEye’s Threat Pursuit Team, Nart Villeneuve.
Free and open-source, Psiphon uses a combination of secure communication and obfuscation technologies to centrally manage and geographically diversify a massive network that spans thousands of proxy servers. These servers serve as shortcuts and back doors into sites that are otherwise off-limits, enabling you to not only visit them, but to visit them faster: A highway pass with no speed limits.
When a user installs and uses Psiphon, they share their new platform with other local users, and the network grows organically. “What we’re trying to build is a network of trust among people who know each other,” says Villeneuve, “rather than a large tech network that people can just tap into.” Being open-source, Psiphon even offers the code and design documents right on their homepage.
Does Psiphon collect user data?
Psiphon knows its demographic well and makes it a point to protect the privacy interests of its customers, end-users, suppliers, and distributors. Their company stance on privacy is made with the intention of keeping its consumers in the loop, sharing with them how their personal information will be used. This is in keeping with the privacy statutes and laws of Canada and Ontario, where the app was designed.
Psiphon does not modify the contents of a user’s VPN data, nor does the company share any data with third parties. When a device is tunneled through Psiphon, the app does require select information regarding how the app is being used. “Activity and aggregated statistical data are vital for us to make Psiphon work best,” they say on their website, which is par for the course.
Psiphon also tracks how long the device is connected, the amount of bytes transferred during the session, and the country, city, and ISP of the connection’s origin. Occasionally it also catalogs how many bytes a user transfers to a specific domain or server IP. Allegedly this is a largely infrequent addendum. The app never shares this data with third parties, and Psiphon only keeps it for at most 90 days before deletion.
Psiphon vs TOR
If your goal is to browse anonymously and bypass censorship, Psiphon is far from the only choice. NordVPN, Hotspot Shield, PureVPN, and other VPN services offer similar results, and each have their own strengths and weaknesses. The service most frequently compared with Psiphon is Tor, another free and open-source software program that enables anonymous communication and conceals the user’s location.
While Psiphon relies on its expanding user base to create more Psiphon servers, Tor directs Internet traffic through a free, worldwide, volunteer overlay network. They are very similar choices in terms of functionality, but the difference lies in their respective priorities: While Psiphon’s main goal is to circumvent censorship and breach blocked websites, Tor’s main goal is to maintain anonymity.
If your chief concern is accessing restricted content, use Psiphon. If it’s to remain undetected (at the expense of some sites remaining blocked), Tor may be the better choice. Tor also suffers from higher latency since it bears multiple layers of encryption that your data must pass through. Tor is not as well-suited for video streaming or torrenting.
Crush censorship and browse freely
If you’re tired of dealing with blocked content, Psiphon is the battering ram to break down closed doors. The app is a safe, legal option uniquely suited to getting you to the content you want.
Since 2008, Psiphon has helped millions of people safely access censored knowledge and ideas. You can download it now for free and see if it can do the same for you.
