For Syria’s Rebel Movement, Skype Is a Useful, Increasingly Dangerous Tool

Syrian government blocked the internet, but the rebels continue to communicate with one another and outside observers via satellite phones and dial-up modems and Skype. Amy Choznick, reporting for the New York Times, explains how a Homs activist skilled in technology is connecting multiple sites: “Using the connection, the activists in Saqba talked to rebel fighters on Skype and relayed to overseas activists details about clashes with government forces. A video showed the rebels’ bare-bones room, four battery backups that could power a laptop for eight hours and a generator set up on a balcony.” Much of equipment was smuggled into the country with the help of relatives abroad and other supporters. Skype encrypts each call, but Choznick reports that Iran may have provided the Syrian regime with malware installed on computers for monitoring activities and pinpointing locations before encryption takes place. Technologies designed for communication can lead to unwanted connections. Users who seek privacy must consider how to detach identities and locations every step of the way. – YaleGlobal