In our ongoing fight for internet freedom, it's important to remember who we're fighting for. That’s why in this blog post, we’re highlighting a story submitted by a Tor user and how Tor helps them circumvent government censorship.

Ramon* is a Tor user living in Cuba who faces challenges accessing information from blocked websites, grapples with slow internet speeds, and encounters sanctions limiting his access to specific platforms and software. These obstacles make it difficult for him to prepare effective curriculums for his students.

In Cuba, the government controls the internet infrastructure, the formal media sector, and tightly regulates content. The independent press operates outside the law, and journalists face regular harassment, detention, and interrogation.

A social communication law was approved in May 2023, stating that public information is solely accessible through state media, further restricting internet freedom in Cuba. This means all digital platforms must be registered with the government, and all of their content must align with the government ideology. People and independent press that share opposing views of the government on social media and the internet will face legal consequences.

When governments deny access to the free internet by blocking sites and services, people like Ramon are stripped of their human right to access information.

“I am a software developer and programming teacher and I live in Cuba,” Ramon told us in his response to a survey of Tor Browser users. “There are many sites with information that I need to be able to do my work that are blocked due to absurd laws.”

Ramon is one of billions of people living in countries where internet freedom has declined for more than a decade. Tor tools help Ramon circumvent blocked sites and access essential information to educate others. He responded to one of our requests for stories through an anonymous survey, and consented for us to publish his story in order to highlight the importance of Tor for free expression.

As a nonprofit, the Tor Project relies on donations to continue supporting millions of people like Ramon. Join us in this fight – donate today and help us secure a free internet.

*=pseudonym.