WhatsApp, Meta’s end-to-end encrypted messenger, has launched its anti-censorship tool.
In WhatsApp’s anti-censorship, Meta allows people in censored countries to use WhatsApp through proxy connections, potentially allowing them to communicate. “Choosing a proxy enables you to connect to WhatsApp through servers set up by volunteers and organizations around the world dedicated to helping people communicate freely,” the company says in a blog post announcing the feature.
Proxies can hide traffic to avoid censorship. If a country blocks WhatsApp, officials may prevent devices from communicating with its infrastructure. A proxy server routes WhatsApp traffic to WhatsApp. The extra step circumvents any filters or blocks.
Meta’s anti-censorship is a good tool to start. In many countries, WhatsApp is considered a critical infrastructure, so when it goes offline due to targeted blockings or blanket internet shutdowns, people suffer as they cannot communicate and access life-saving information during critical events and crises. Using a proxy doesn’t affect WhatsApp’s encryption, which protects your messages from Meta.
WhatsApp now offers proxy connections due to Iran’s internet outage. Following nationwide protests over the police custody death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, the country has shut down the internet for months. Iran’s internet blackouts and WhatsApp ban have hurt its economy and drawn international criticism. Analysts expect internet shutdowns to cost $24 billion in 2022.
The company says it started adding proxy support to WhatsApp in the final months of 2022 and is launching it now because most people use a version that supports proxies. “Internet disruptions like Iran’s deny people’s human rights and cut people off from receiving urgent help,” the company wrote on its blog.
WhatsApp proxy details are needed to connect. Searching social media with proxies usually finds these. (Proxies are useless during complete internet shutdowns). WhatsApp’s iOS and Android storage and Data menus allow proxy settings. WhatsApp’s GitHub page details how to set up proxy servers using ports 80, 443, or 5222 and a domain or subdomain that points to the server’s IP address.
