Kindness Mode - Snowflake Proxy in Orbot
Running a Snowflake Proxy is one of the easiest, safest, and most impactful ways to help people circumvent censorship, especially if you're in a place with an open and free Internet. Your device, through your public IP address, becomes an essential bridge for people in places where Tor is blocked (in, say, Iran or China) and an entry point to the Tor network. There are many ways you can run a Snowflake Proxy.
Key Facts to Know
You are not using Tor yourself; you are simply a bridge for someone else.
All of the data passing through your device is encrypted; nothing is visible to you.
There will be an impact on your bandwidth, but it is minimal, and you can set limits.
Risks and Considerations
- In most countries, running a Snowflake Proxy is legal. It's equivalent to making an online "VOIP" call between two points on the internet.
- In high-censorship networks, this traffic could draw attention, and since your Internet is not free and open, it doesn't make sense to run a Snowflake Proxy.
- All of the data passing through your device is encrypted; nothing is visible to you.
- There will be an impact on your bandwidth, but it is minimal, and you can set limits.
- The fact that your device was connected to by a remote device on the Internet can be seen and logged by your Internet service provider.
- Your IP address will appear in the central Snowflake "Broker" logs since it is necessary to share your proxy's existence so others can find it.
- In the app or browser activity of the person you are helping, YOUR IP address is NOT visible, and there is no link to your or your device.
- Any data used by the device proxying through your connection will count as data on your service or plan. It is best on Wi-Fi or with unlimited plans.
- Proxying can slow your connection slightly. However, by default, only a very limited number of devices can use your proxy at a time.
How to Minimise Risks
Run Snowflake from a trusted, unrestricted, unlimited network.
When you can, set limits on when and how the Snowflake Proxy should be available.
Don't use it on shared, public, or corporate networks where administrators might block or misinterpret traffic.