[AFP, June 17th]Following the reveal of a major surveillance effort by the National Security Agency (NSA), internet users are in a hurry to find new ways to avoid surveillance.

Until recently, netizens’ actions, such as hiding traces of behavior, “shreddering” data, and sending self-destructive messages, may have seemed megalomaniac. Tools such as anonymization of web browsing and encryption programs have been available for years. But these tools were often associated with hackers, criminals and other “shady” aspects of the Internet.

“I think the idea of ​​what we see as an irrational level of megalomania has changed over the past few weeks,” says Alex Stamos, the self-proclaimed “white hat hacker” at security consulting firm NCC Group.

Ironically, it was a US-funded project that developed some of the tools to avoid detection. The purpose was to support people living under dictatorships.

“The technology available in Tehran (Iran) and Phnom Penh (Cambodia) can also be used in New York and Washington DC,” said Sascha Meinrath, who heads a project at the New America Foundation, which supports confidential and private communications in totalitarian countries.

“The real problem is that many people don’t know about these tools, and many of these tools can’t be used by anyone other than those who are familiar with computers.”

■ “Tor” is defense from surveillance or a hotbed for crime

“Tor” is a well-known program that hides traces of online behavior. This tool was developed by the US military, but is currently being used by the non-profit organization Tor Project.

There are 500,000 Tor users worldwide, with 15% of which are in the US. Tor can hide users’ IP addresses, allowing them to avoid tracking behavior by government and commercial companies that try to send targeted advertising.

Tor’s development manager Karen Reilly said that while the US government is pushing forward to spreading Tor in countries other than the US, Tor can protect users from surveillance by law enforcement authorities in the US.

“Because criminals use Tor, I sometimes get inquiries from law enforcement agencies to tell me a back door (so that I can see IP information etc.). But there is no back door. Tor not only protects users from providers, but also from us (the developers). We don’t keep any records that can identify users.”

Reilly dispels concerns about the vicious presence of the internet, such as Tor, saying, “criminals are the ultimate early adopters of new technology,” and if an anonymization program doesn’t exist, “they just find another option.”

■Automatically disappearing message “Wickr” downloads are rapidly increasing

People in the hacker and security culture were not surprised by the NSA’s PRISM program, but were ecstatic about its scale and ability to collect large amounts of data.

“The problem is that we store ‘valuable’ in our databases and that it’s impossible to protect it,” says Nico Sell, founder of Wickr, an app development venture that protects the confidentiality of data sent to mobile devices and has the ability to “shredder” data.

Cell said the number of app downloads skyrocketed over the past week.

“People are switching from Skype, knowing that they can get more confidentiality. All messages disappear automatically in our app — since the TV drama “MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE,” everyone has wanted a message that disappears automatically.”

■What are the threats of PRISM, and what are the methods for anonymization and encryption?

Casey Oppenheim, who co-founded anonymization program called “disconnect.me,” said he was surprised that the number of downloads for the program has not increased since the US surveillance program was revealed, pointing out that web users may not understand the meaning of PRISM.

Oppenheim said the databases of major companies store “very private” web search history. “These (search history) are directly connected to each individual’s personal thoughts – all of that information is online and extremely easy to get. Most people don’t understand what size this is happening.”

Oppenheim said his software works like Tor and has an “additional layer of protection” to allow him to remain anonymous even when logged in to his personal account.

White hat hacker Stamos points out that companies cannot encrypt communications because communication records will need to be submitted when responding to court orders and other matters. Additionally, although it is possible for individuals to encrypt emails, the operations such as exchanging “crypto keys” are too complicated for most people.

Meanwhile, in the field of web browsing, DuckDuckGo, a search engine that does not store IP addresses, is showing record growth.

“I think the revelations bring the truth to light and people are beginning to look for alternatives to protecting privacy,” said Gabriel Weinberg, founder of DuckDuckGo. “We have never requested data from our company, but even if we come, we don’t have data.”

■Is “black magic” the privacy protection technology?

UK-based security consultant Graham Cluley said people using privacy tools should not be considered criminals. “If society begins to change to consider the use of privacy-protecting encryption tools and other tools as ‘black magic’, that’s a problem.”

Minelas of the New America Foundation also said banning the use of online privacy protection tools is ridiculous. “From pens to computers, all communication tools that have been devised will have to be illegal.”

The United States Postal Service (USPS) cannot open a letter without a reasonable reason for the search. “Nottheless, the government says it has the right to monitor electronic communications,” Minras noted. “The secrets of communications are the foundation of democracy” (c)AFP/Rob Lever