US to unveil platform aiming to bypass internet censorship in China, Iran and beyond
FIRST ON FOX: The State Department has finalized a new privacy-preserving app intended to give users worldwide access to what officials describe as the same uncensored internet available to Americans, even in countries with strict online repression such as China and Iran and as Europe enacts tighter content oversight.
The platform, Freedom.gov, will roll out "in the coming weeks," Fox News Digital has learned.
It will operate as a one-click desktop and mobile application compatible with iOS and Android devices.
The app is open-source and includes built-in anonymity protections.
The initiative comes as governments worldwide tighten control over digital speech, from China’s "Great Firewall" to sweeping internet shutdowns in Iran and new regulatory regimes in Europe. U.S. officials say Freedom.gov is designed to offer a technological counterweight — exporting what they describe as America’s open internet model to users living under censorship.
"In the interest of total transparency, we made Freedom.gov completely open-source. But we also made it completely anonymous," a State Department official said. "Anyone can see how it works. No one, including us, can track or identify you."
According to the official, the application does not log IP addresses, session data, browsing activity, DNS queries or device identifiers that could be used to personally identify users.
Specific details about the app’s underlying technical structure were not disclosed.
Governments with sophisticated censorship systems historically have moved quickly to block or criminalize circumvention tools. Authorities can restrict app downloads, block domains, throttle traffic or impose penalties on users.
Whether Freedom.gov maintains accessibility in heavily restricted environments may depend on its technical architecture and its ability to adapt to countermeasures.
The initiative is being led by Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy Sarah Rogers, who oversees the State Department’s Digital Freedom office.
"Freedom.gov is the latest in a long line of efforts by the State Department to protect and promote fundamental freedoms, both online and offline," Rogers said. "The project will be global in its scope, but distinctly American in its mission: commemorating our commitment to free expression as we approach our 250th birthday."
Reuters previously reported that the State Department was developing the Freedom.gov platform.
The rollout comes amid intensifying global battles over internet governance, as governments across Europe and beyond move to assert greater control over online content.
In Europe, regulators have tightened oversight under new laws aimed at policing digital platforms. The European Union’s Digital Services Act expands government authority over major platforms and requires removal of illegal content, including hate speech and extremist material, with regulators empowered to impose steep fines for violations.
In the United Kingdom, the Online Safety Act imposes new obligations on platforms to address harmful and illegal content and includes age-verification requirements for certain services. Critics warn the measures risk incentivizing aggressive content removal and expanding government influence over lawful speech online.
Elsewhere, restrictions have been more direct. Russia recently moved to ban WhatsApp, further consolidating state control over digital communications.
China maintains the world’s most sophisticated online censorship system, widely known as the "Great Firewall," blocking foreign news outlets and social media platforms while promoting a state-controlled digital ecosystem.
Iran repeatedly has imposed sweeping internet shutdowns during periods of unrest. During protests, government blackouts have cut citizens off from global communications.
The Wall Street Journal previously reported that thousands of Starlink satellite internet terminals were covertly brought into the country following a blackout, in an effort backed by the United States to help dissidents bypass censorship.
Iranian authorities have attempted to jam satellite signals and criminalized possession of such equipment. Satellite connectivity — which does not rely on domestic telecommunications infrastructure — has emerged as one of the few viable lifelines during shutdowns.