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Twitter Launches New Version For Russians to Bypass the Country’s Restrictions


Twitter has launched a new version of the platform for Russians to access the platform and bypass the country’s restrictions.

The Russian government has restricted the use of Twitter and blocked Facebook entirely.

The new version is available on Tor, often referred to as the “dark web,” and uses a .onion service instead of a .com web address. Onion services can only be accessed by using a Tor browser, which can get around national web blocks.

“Regular websites, including Twitter.com, are also accessible on Tor, but the .onion versions are made specifically for Tor and prevent the site from being spoofed by malicious actors,” the Associated Press notes.

Software engineer Alec Muffett announced the new service on his Twitter account, saying it “is possibly the most important and long-awaited tweet that I’ve ever composed.”

Muffett explained that he led the team that launched the Facebook onion in 2014 and that there had been “occasional conversations re: ‘an onion for Twitter’ ever since.” He also noted that he is not a Twitter employee, but helps large companies that want to adopt onion services.

In addition to Facebook and Twitter, the Russian government has also blocked or restricted access to the BBC, Voice of America, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, German broadcaster Deutsche Welle and Latvian website Meduza.

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