How to get around governments shutting down the internet

On the wake of 3 African governments (Zimbabwe, DRC and Sudan) shutting down internet access from their citizens in recent times, we have found an app that can circumvent the draconian action.

FireChat is a messaging app that lets iOS and Android smartphone users chat without a cellular or Internet connection.

Unlike most chatting apps, the FireChat app doesn’t rely solely on Wi-Fi or data – it doesn’t even need a hotspot or centralized mobile network to relay data. Instead, the app relies on peer-to-peer connections through wireless mesh networking via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, technology built in the phone.

How to get connected?

FireChat uses the Bluetooth and Wi-Fi on your mobile to let it communicate with other devices directly. A bit like Wi-Fi direct for sending a file it will share information with another phone without needing to go via a router or network. It has a range of roughly 70 metres but uses other mobiles like stepping stones allowing it to grow to the edge of any crowd.

One of the best parts about FireChat is that as more people use it in an area, connectivity actually increases.

What does it work with?

As long as you’re near to others with the app up and running you can chat directly and even share links, images and videos as if you were using WhatsApp.

While Bluetooth is a slow way of transferring data it’s a good way to connect devices. Then with that stable connection made the Wi-Fi is ideal for sending larger items like files, photos and even videos.

Where does it get used?

FireChat has also been used by Iraqis and Taiwanese students during their anti-Beijing Sunflow Movement.

It’s almost like Twitter in that it can offer free speech that can’t be controlled by the government. But where Twitter has been shut down by governments in the past, FireChat can’t be.

Of course there are military grade devices that can shut off all signals in an area but that’s an extreme case of where FireChat could get shut down.

The ability to work off-the-grid makes FireChat particularly useful in areas where the Internet is restricted. It is also harder for government to monitor the chat messages by nature of the app’s peer-to-peer connectivity. 

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.opengarden.firechat

credits: @SamanyikaZW

Tatenda W Mhlanga