OONI Probe is a software tool that allows users to contribute to the world’s largest open dataset on internet censorship. According to OONI, the tool enables users to check which websites are blocked in their country and measure network speed and performance.
The application works across Linux and macOS platforms. When users run OONI Probe, it performs several types of tests. These include checking general website blocking, measuring network speed and performance through the NDT test (developed in collaboration with M-Lab), and testing specific applications. The tool can verify whether messaging platforms including WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Telegram are accessible on a user’s network. It also tests whether circumvention tools function properly on the user’s connection.
A key feature of OONI Probe is its automatic data publishing. According to the source, test results are published in near real-time as soon as users run the tool. This automatic publication occurs without requiring additional user action. By participating in testing, users contribute to what OONI describes as increased transparency regarding internet censorship globally.
The data collected through OONI Probe feeds into a publicly accessible measurement database. Users can explore measurements from around the world through OONI’s platform, allowing for visibility into censorship patterns across different countries and regions.
The tool represents a crowdsourced approach to monitoring internet restrictions. Rather than relying on a centralized research team, OONI distributes the measurement task to individual users worldwide who voluntarily run the software. This distributed model allows for continuous, real-time monitoring of internet censorship practices and changes to network accessibility across different jurisdictions.
Key facts
- OONI Probe measures which websites are blocked in users’ countries
- The tool tests access to WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Telegram
- Network speed and performance are measured using the NDT test
- Test results are automatically published in near real-time to a public dataset
- The tool is available for Linux and macOS
- OONI Probe results contribute to the world’s largest open dataset on internet censorship