[liberationtech] Many VPNs and Psiphon are currently blocked in Iran right now

[Griffin Boyce]

Adam Pritchard wrote:
> I would advise against getting too comfortable/confident/hubristic... 
> One might not want to suggest that one is unblockable.

   I like Tor a lot, but obviously nothing is "unblockable."  Iran's 
targeting of Tor around the attempted revolution is but one data point 
-- every kind of circumvention tool is targeted by oppressive regimes.  
What is more {important|telling} is how well a software community can 
respond and bounce back from various blocking events.

   Part of the issue (as I see it) is that users tend to regard one 
circumvention method as a panacea.  People rely on Tor or Lantern or 
Psiphon or that really fast VPN on a weird port.  And then when their 
method of choice gets blocked, they are forced to find a replacement.  
This feels like a user education issue.  Users need to know that there 
are multiple options -- eg when Psiphon works but Lantern doesn't, or 
when Tor with a bridge doesn't usually work, but with flashproxy does.  
People need to be prepared to pivot quickly.

~Griffin