In commemoration of the World Day Against Cyber Censorship—an initiative established by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and celebrated annually on 12 March.
The organisation said it is pleased to declare that its groundbreaking initiative, Operation Collateral Freedom, has successfully enabled the websites of over 100 media outlets across 32 nations to circumvent governmental censorship measures, thereby constituting an impressive 20% increase within a mere twelve-month span.
Initiated in 2015, Operation Collateral Freedom is meticulously designed to facilitate media entities worldwide in evading censorship by establishing mirror sites—replica versions of the blocked websites that are perpetually synchronised with their original counterparts—and strategically positioning these sites in diverse online domains. This innovative approach not only counters the pervasive encroachments on free expression but also ensures that independent journalism can thrive in environments fraught with repression.
In recognition of the continually evolving landscape of censorship techniques, RSF has proactively enhanced its support for media outlets by providing essential IT resources through the Collateral Freedom application since August 2023. This application empowers these outlets to create mirror sites on the online infrastructure operated by RSF, thereby fortifying their ability to disseminate information despite oppressive restrictions.
Currently, RSF operates an extensive network of 480 mirror sites, which collectively facilitate access to 100 censored media platforms. Among those benefiting from this pivotal mechanism are prominent Russian news organisations, such as Meduza and The Moscow Times, which are utilising the capabilities of Operation Collateral Freedom to elude the stringent censorship enforced by Roskomnadzor, the Russian telecommunications regulator that has intensified its campaign against independent journalism in recent times.
Moreover, Operation Collateral Freedom is supplemented by various RSF initiatives aimed at empowering independent exiled media to effectively convey information to their designated audiences. A salient example is the Svoboda satellite package, launched on 6 March, which broadcasts independently reported news content to Russian-speaking populations in Europe, Russia, Belarus, and regions of Ukraine under Russian occupation.
Christophe Deloire, RSF’s secretary-general, articulated the imperative nature of this initiative, stating, “It is vital that we respond to the growth in online censorship and the amplification of disinformation by making independent media more accessible in their countries of origin. Year by year, Collateral Freedom has established itself as one of the world’s biggest censorship circumvention operations. The growth in mirroring is the result of a major investment by RSF. Collateral Freedom enables censored websites to be accessible online again, while Svoboda enables radio and TV channels to be broadcast by satellite.”
The efficacy of Collateral Freedom is particularly salient for Russian exiled media, exemplified by Meduza, the most widely read independent news outlet in Russia, which received its inaugural mirror site from RSF at the onset of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022. This outlet continues to leverage RSF’s technology to maintain its connection with its audience within the Russian Federation, whether through the original mirror or via the RSF application. Following the announcement of the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, Meduza’s mirror sites experienced an astonishing influx of over 15 million requests (approximately 300,000 page views) within a mere 48 hours.
The necessity for mirror sites has become increasingly pronounced in the wake of legislative developments, as the Duma—the lower house of Russia’s parliament—recently enacted a law prohibiting access to major VPN providers, effective 1 March. This legislative action exacerbates the already dire conditions for free expression and underscores the crucial role of Operation Collateral Freedom in safeguarding journalistic integrity and accessibility.
Furthermore, Operation Collateral Freedom extends its vital services to other nations characterised by an adversarial stance towards press freedom, notably Iran and China. Last September, RSF established a mirror of the BBC News Persian website to facilitate access for Iranian citizens, and since the commencement of 2023, it has broadened its operations to include news sites targeting China—one of the globe’s most repressive environments for journalists and freedom of information. To date, RSF has mirrored eight additional news outlets, including Women, Voice of Tibet, and the Xinjiang Database, thereby increasing the total number of Chinese media benefiting from Operation Collateral Freedom to 18.
A journalist affiliated with Women, who preferred to remain anonymous, remarked, “This initiative is much needed in China, where the public do not have access to reliable and independent information. By unblocking censored websites, the Chinese public will better understand the policies related to their interests, and it will enable the supervision of the government so that it can truly serve its people.”
The Tibet Post International (TPI), an independent newspaper situated in Dharamshala, India, is among the inaugural list of sites unblocked by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) through its Operation Collateral Freedom. This significant development has not only augmented the newspaper’s readership but has also bolstered the influence of Tibetan independent media, thereby extending its reach to a broader international audience, as affirmed by the TPI office.
A comprehensive and continually updated list of sites unblocked by RSF’s Operation Collateral Freedom, contingent upon prevailing security considerations, is readily accessible on the operation’s GitHub page. Noteworthy media outlets unblocked since the inception of 2023 encompass the Belarusian platform BelarusinFocus, Chinese sites such as Voice of Tibet, Tibet Times, Xinjiang Victim Database, Akademiye, Photon Media, and Women, along with Togo’s L’Alternative.info and several Guinean media outlets—including Guinée Matin, L’Inquisiteur, and Mosaïque Guinée—that have faced significant persecution in recent months.
In conclusion, as the spectre of censorship continues to loom ominously over the global media landscape, initiatives like Operation Collateral Freedom exemplify the unwavering commitment of organisations like RSF to champion free expression, disseminate unfiltered information, and uphold the fundamental principles of journalistic integrity in an increasingly challenging environment.
