DUTA: A breakthrough in fighting censorship and Internet shutdowns

DUTA is a news reader app and an ultralight transport protocol designed to be highly resistant to Internet interference, including sophisticated regional and countrywide Internet shutdowns.

Over the past few years, Internet shutdowns have become one of the most common tools used by repressive regimes around the world. Heavy censorship and barriers to the free flow of information are no longer considered sufficient. Increasingly, governments resort to regional or, in some cases, nationwide Internet shutdowns to suppress dissent and cut off access to news and information for the population.

Modern alternatives such as satellite-based solutions do exist, but they are expensive to acquire and operate, require bespoke hardware, are illegal to use in many countries, and are impractical in everyday situations. You cannot realistically carry a Starlink terminal with you while moving through city streets.

DUTA was designed in response to recent Internet shutdowns in Iran. By studying how these shutdowns are implemented, we identified several methods to inject data and developed an ultralight, text-only, bespoke transport protocol. This approach has the potential to function even under highly sophisticated regional and countrywide Internet shutdown conditions.

DUTA is currently available as a public beta. The goal is to gather user feedback, collaborate with reputable news organizations and independent journalists, refine the system, and expand its functionality.

Download DUTA from Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.duta.duta&hl=en

Unfortunately, Internet shutdowns in various forms are far more common than many people realize. This technology has the potential to become a powerful new tool for netzines and independent media organizations around the world.