Towards the Invisible Internet

i2p anonymous network
As attacks on privacy exponentially increase and censorship attempts go uncensored, a few optimistically try to accomplish what the cyberspace dream once promised. The pendulum swings, each swing being a bit closer and more threatening, deafening the ears of a handful while millions cheer with joy. The digital imprimatur does not even bother to knock our door. As daring as the times may be, the faint light of hope still lingers. Version 0.7.2 of I2P Anonymous Network has just been released.

I2P is an anonymizing network, offering a simple layer that identity-sensitive applications can use to securely communicate. All data is wrapped with several layers of encryption, and the network is both distributed and dynamic, with no trusted parties.

It is an effort to build, deploy, and maintain a network to support secure and anonymous communication. People using I2P are in control of the tradeoffs between anonymity, reliability, bandwidth usage, and latency. There is no central point in the network on which pressure can be exerted to compromise the integrity, security, or anonymity of the system. The network supports dynamic reconfiguration in response to various attacks, and has been designed to make use of additional resources as they become available. Of course, all aspects of the network are open and freely available.

You never know when you will need it.

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Comments

  1. JosephApril 21, 2009 at 10:48 AM

    This reminds me of people who download files illegally online. They actually use similar methods to "cloak" their identity and location with the use of multiple encryption. This keeps them undetected and anonymous. Now if they can be given such a privilege, we should too. Protecting and securing our information online is vital especially because strangers are everywhere.

    I2P does the job of protecting us but is not the ultimate solution. They themselves mentioned that it is not a 100% secure means of communicating. It will only serve as a temporary and much harder barrier to break. We still have our part in being cautious about everything online.

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  2. ArchiverApril 21, 2009 at 11:02 AM

    I do not think ordinary people request 100% anonymity anyway. They simply do not want their private lives scattered all over Internet. When I say Internet, don't assume I mean computers alone. Take for example, street cameras. It is usually possible to get a feed from them live, without people's consent.

    I am aware that anonymity increases piracy and/or theft but do we have to sacrifice our privacy so that digital products can be safe?

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