Digital Lifelines: Essential Tools for Internet Freedom
Access to information is a fundamental human right. This page curates reliable tools to help Iranians reach the free internet safely.
We provide this list as a service to our community, ensuring that no voice is silenced due to a lack of connection.
1. Primary Access Tools (VPNs & Circumvention)
These tools are designed to bypass severe restrictions. We recommend having at least two installed as backups.
Psiphon (The Resilient Choice)
Psiphon is designed to stay connected when other VPNs fail.
- Send a blank email to [email protected] to receive the latest download.
- Use Psiphon Conduit to generate unique links for trusted contacts.
The Tor Project (Anonymity & Access)
Tor routes traffic through a global volunteer network to hide location and usage.
- If Tor is blocked, use the Snowflake bridge option inside the browser settings.
- Email [email protected] with body text: windows, osx, or linux.
Lantern (Faster Access)
Lantern uses a peer-to-peer network to get around blocked sites.
Outline (Self-Hosted VPN)
Outline lets you create your own VPN server or connect to one from a trusted source.
- Ask trusted friends abroad to set up Outline Manager and share an access key.
2. Secure Communication
Staying connected requires encryption that cannot be intercepted.
Signal Private Messenger
The gold standard for encrypted communication.
- If Signal is blocked, go to Settings > Data and Storage > Use Proxy.
Telegram (with MTProto Proxy)
Use a secure proxy and enable additional security settings.
- Enable Two-Step Verification in privacy settings.
- Be cautious with proxy channels that may log data.
3. Browser Extensions & Utilities
Lightweight tools for times when full VPNs are difficult to run.
Snowflake (Chrome/Firefox Extension)
Lets you help others connect to the Tor network.
A Note on Security & Safety
For users inside Iran: always verify you are downloading from official sources or the GitHub repositories listed above. Avoid unknown files shared over Telegram.
Internet censorship is dynamic. If one tool stops working, switch to another immediately. Keep multiple apps installed.
For the global community: run a Snowflake proxy or set up an Outline server and share keys with trusted Iranians. Your bandwidth can be their lifeline.
- Verification: use official sources and trusted repositories.
- Redundancy: keep multiple tools ready.
- Digital hygiene: regularly clear browser history and cache if needed.
Disclaimer
This page collects publicly available resources to promote digital rights and freedom of information. ANQ is not the developer of these tools and assumes no liability for their usage.