Google announces uProxy: internet censorship avoidance in a browser extension

[mgsstar]

 

At its Ideas Summit in New York, Google revealed Uproxy: a service that aims to change the way people around the globe use the internet. A browser extension for Chrome and Firefox, uProxy can bypass restrictive firewalls that hinder users from accessing vital (and trivial) information online by creating peer-to-peer connections. If someone from a country with limited internet access installs uProxy, they can get a friend from the US to authorize them to surf the open web using their connection. The service has yet to launch, but its creators -- the University of Washington and Brave New Software -- have opened a restricted beta for select, technically adept users to make it as "secure, private, and robust" as possible. If you know anyone who could benefit from uProxy, especially in times of need, direct them to the source link below for the sign-up page.

Source:http://www.engadget.com/2013/10/21/google-ideas-uproxy/

Link in joining the beta: http://uproxy.org

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJ6BuHL0EiQ

This is pretty cool that Google is doing and supporting this and plus it also supports Firefox which is great.

[heineygoat]

Good guy Google adds support for firefox.

[jscho]

It'll be interesting to see if Netflix has anything to say about this But I'm all for this. Being able to get past stupid region locks is awesome. If it's on the internet, it should be available to everyone.

[EChondo]

I like the idea, but I'll wait for the implementation to comment on this.

[HaZardousLP]

As said, nice idea but I'm not sure how it's going to work. Are they going to just match up people from outside the US with people from within the US for example, or will you need to actually know the person? I don't see how someone from the US gains anything from this in that situation because a large majority of services that people want to access are from the US (yes, I know Europe but for this example I mean Australia-US).

[TooManyErrors]

From what I get from this, it'll allow me to bypass my school's firewall so I can browse the web unhindered on after school hours.

[JaeDee884]

I'm going to love using this at work. need to update 62 ipads but due to network contraints all apple sites are blocked temporarily. I can just download the update via proxy and install manually!

[Blackterror25]

sins the NSA scandal I've started questioning every move google does.

[Nicktrance]

Nice. Is Google basically saying FU to censorship? Kind of a big move from such a big company, then again several of Google's own services are being limited because of region locking (not because of what Google wants).