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Brave browser users can now do their part in the fight against online censorship after the latest update.
The Brave 1.47 version allows users anywhere to turn their devices into a proxy service to allow people worldwide to access the Tor browser.
This isn’t the first step the secure browser has taken in an attempt to get around Internet restrictions, having previously introduced support for Tor Bridges in Private Windows with Tor in version 1.44. But the company’s new feature is a step forward in empowering the Brave community to promote an open and free internet for everyone — just from behind their screens.
Brave and Tor Snowflake
Brave’s latest upgrade adds the Tor Snowflake feature directly to its browser system. This is a peer-to-peer technology developed by the Tor project to allow people around the world to access censored sites and applications.
Like many of the best VPN services, Snowflake helps those living under strict internet restrictions bypass online censorship.
However, as Tor explains in a blog post (opens in new tab)To: “Unlike VPNs, you don’t need to install a separate application to connect to a Snowflake proxy and bypass censorship. It’s usually a bypass feature embedded in existing apps.”
Powered by a combination of proxy technology and WebRTC protocol, Snowflake masks users’ Internet activities, making it appear as if they are using the Internet for a regular video or voice call. It then automatically assigns ephemeral Tor Bridges to grant access to blocked sites to anyone who needs it.
At the same time, it safeguards users’ privacy and anonymity, so authorities have no way of knowing if or when someone manages to get around their online restrictions.
Tor Bridges, available in the Brave browser since September last year, is a volunteer-run relay software designed to help people access Tor in the event of a block.
Essentially, they give users an alternate entry point to the Onion routing.
To enable the feature on the Brave Browser, you need to go to the Settings menu and tap it Privacy and security tab. Click the Tor Windows to select or manually add an active built-in Bridge.
Snowflake represents the natural evolution of this. In fact, anyone willing to help others access Tor can now enable the browser extension on a selected Tor Bridge by simply enabling the option.
This means that users’ devices don’t just act as intermediaries between a remote computer and the Tor site. They also allow the flow of encrypted messages between Snowflake running and the other computers within the Tor network.
While everyone can do their part to help people around the world access Tor at their leisure, it’s worth noting that the Snowflake feature won’t work for users who live in countries where Tor is censored and/or have access to to the Internet through their school or work firewall.
Through Beeping computer (opens in new tab)