How to share information under fascism or dictatorship?
Update: 21-05-2026
Story of Usha Mehta
Explain how Usha Mehta used a transmitter to reach the voices of Congress and Gandhi
Describe what to do when mainstream media is captured by a fascist government, and big tech social media either censors content or reduces views that go against the government
How to use P2P technology (such as torrent, Signal, Tor network, VPN and many others) to access information?
Usha Mehta’s use of a transmitter during the Indian independence movement is an inspiring example of how individuals can resist oppressive regimes and censorship by creating alternative channels of communication. Her actions provide insights into strategies that can be employed when mainstream media is controlled by a fascist government. In the modern context, P2P (peer-to-peer) technologies, such as torrent networks, Signal, and the Tor network, can be used to disseminate information and counter censorship.
Creating Underground Networks
Usha Mehta and her colleagues set up an underground radio station to transmit messages from the All India Congress Committee. In a similar vein, individuals today can create decentralized networks using P2P technologies. This can involve establishing alternative communication channels that are resistant to censorship and control.
Using P2P Technologies
- Torrent Networks: Torrents use a decentralized P2P protocol, making it difficult for authorities to control or shut down. Individuals can share information through torrent files, ensuring that the data is distributed across multiple users.
odysee or Lbry A YouTube alternative built on P2P video sharing.
- Signal and other open source end to end encrypted apps: Signal is an encrypted messaging app that prioritizes user privacy. Activists and individuals seeking to share information securely can use Signal for text, voice, and video communication without fear of surveillance.
You can find other apps in F-Droid. F-Droid is an installable catalogue of FOSS (Free and Open Source Software) applications for the Android platform. The client makes it easy to browse, install, and keep track of updates on your device.
- Tor Network: The Tor network allows users to browse the internet anonymously by routing their traffic through a series of volunteer-operated servers. This can help individuals access and share information while bypassing government-imposed restrictions.
Brave Desktop Apps Brave desktop browser has Tor support.
Opera Browser has a built-in free VPN, and there are other free VPNs available to install system-wide in F-Droid.
InviZible Pro combines the strengths of Tor, DNSCrypt, and Purple I2P to provide a comprehensive solution for online privacy, security, and anonymity.
Access the entire internet. Secure and high-performance, Psiphon provides open access to the uncensored internet for millions of people around the world, with 150,000,000+ downloads.
Censorship-resistant social media
Censorship-resistant social media matters because governments, corporations, or billionaires should not control public conversation. Centralized platforms can ban accounts, shadowban movements, manipulate algorithms, or pressure users into silence. Decentralized protocols reduce this risk by distributing control.
Why Nostr is censorship-resistant:
- Nostr is a protocol, not a company. Anyone can run a relay server.
- Users own their identity through cryptographic keys, not platform accounts.
- If one relay bans you, your posts can still spread through other relays.
- There is no central moderation authority controlling the whole network.
- Clients are interchangeable. You can switch apps without losing followers or identity.
- Communities can create their own moderation rules instead of relying on a single corporation.
- Governments would need to block thousands of relays globally, which is much harder than banning one company.
Why Bluesky can resist censorship (when you self-host your PDS and use third-party clients instead of the official client):
- Bluesky uses the AT Protocol, which separates identity, storage, and apps.
- If you self-host your Personal Data Server (PDS), you control your account data and identity.
- Third-party clients can connect to the same network, so users are not locked into the official app.
- Algorithm choice can be decentralized instead of controlled by one recommendation engine.
- Moderation can become composable: users choose moderation services rather than obeying one central authority.
- If the main Bluesky app censors content, alternative clients can still access the same social graph and posts.
- The protocol can survive even if one company changes policies.
Why Mastodon is censorship-resistant:
- Mastodon is federated, meaning thousands of independent servers communicate with each other.
- No single company owns the whole network.
- Users can migrate between servers while keeping social connections.
- Different communities can create their own moderation policies.
- A government blocking one server does not destroy the wider network.
- Independent hosting reduces dependence on corporate infrastructure.
- Open-source software allows anyone to create their own instance.
The biggest advantage of decentralized social media is not “no moderation.” The real advantage is pluralism: many communities, many servers, many clients, many moderation systems, and no single gatekeeper controlling global speech.
Maintaining Anonymity
- Operational Security (OpSec): To avoid detection, Usha Mehta used to claim her radio station was broadcasting from “somewhere in India.” Similarly, those using P2P technologies should prioritize operational security to keep their identities and locations concealed.
Resilience Against Jamming
- Decentralized Platforms: P2P technologies inherently distribute information across multiple nodes, making it challenging for authorities to block or jam the communication. This resilience against interference is crucial in maintaining the flow of information.
Facing Arrest and Interrogation
- Silent Resistance: Usha Mehta’s silence during six months of interrogation demonstrated a commitment to resisting oppressive forces. Similarly, individuals involved in P2P communication should be prepared for potential consequences and consider adopting silent resistance tactics to protect themselves and their networks.
Historical Inspiration
- Learning from Past Movements: Studying historical instances of resistance, such as Usha Mehta’s efforts, can provide valuable lessons for modern activists. Understanding the strategies and challenges faced during historical movements can inform current tactics in the fight against censorship.
In summary, Usha Mehta’s use of a transmitter during the Indian independence movement highlights the importance of decentralized communication in the face of censorship. Applying similar principles with modern P2P technologies can empower individuals to share information, resist oppression, and maintain the flow of crucial messages even in the most challenging circumstances.
Usha Mehta and Congress Radio 42.34: Defying Oppression through Underground Transmission
Enters 22-year-old activist Usha Mehta. Along with some of her colleagues she found a transmitter and started an underground radio station. Congress Radio 42.34 thus began. It was on 14th August when this underground radio station began transmitting.
And the words you just heard were spoken by none other than Usha Mehta. Through this radio, the messages of the All India Congress Committee were broadcast to every corner of the country. Such underground media channels started opposing the propaganda of the British Raj.
To keep their location hidden,in her messages Usha Mehta used to say, “This is Congress Radio from somewhere in India.
But actually, she was operating from Bombay. It took the British government about 3 months to find the source of this radio.But by then, a lot of people were already aware. Gradually, All India Radio was called Anti-India Radio when they tried to jam the Congress radio.
Finally, on 12th November 1942, the British government arrested Usha Mehta.All her equipment was seized and despite interrogating her for 6 months, she does not reveal anything to the British.
Later, in 1969, when she was interviewed, she said,
“When the press is gagged and all news banned, a transmitter certainly helps a good deal in furnishing the public with…spreading the message of rebellion in the remotest corners of the country”