In terms of PRISM and other espionage projects on the entire world, the term “encryption” seems to be the buzz word at the moment. Even several ministers in several states recommend to use “encryption” for the private communication in Emails, Skype, chat rooms and wherever it is possible, although the ministers are acting helpless in the light of PRISM and Co – or they were and are even involved in such espionage projects.
At the same moment, in the current discourse about PRISM and other electronic espionage projects, the use of web services and so-called social networks such as Facebook, Google+ or even Twitter should be viewed critically, especially the use of US web services and platforms.
Well, should we stop to use such social networks like Twitter, Google+ and especially Facebook? Not in the opinion of the creators behind the new “BlockPRISM” browser plugin.
The browser plugin, better say the creators behind “BlockPRISM”, want to increase the protection and level of safety in the communication over the use of social networks for the users of such social platforms like Facebook. Behind the browser-plugin, there are three young computer science students from the Hasso Plattner Institute in Potsdam, Germany.
In order to increase the level of safety for the users in their communications on Facebook, Twitter or Google+, the direct and easy to handle PGP encryption of messages should serve this attempt to deliver a better protection for the private data, topics and opinions in communications on social platforms. For example, a message on the social platform Facebook will be encrypted by the sender and then automatically decrypted by its receiver.
The German developers behind “BlockPRISM” wrote on their project website:
“The NSA scandal has shown that there is a great demand for secure communications on the Internet. The cryptographic technology for this exists already for a very long time. However, the encryption has not been enforced with the normal users to date, because it’s too complicated.”
The currently available plugin of “BlockPRISM” for the Google Chrome browser is still a prototype that will be further delevoped by the support of an Indiegogo campaing, thus, crowd funding. According to the plans of the three developers behind the Chrome extension / plugin “BlockPRISM”, they are already planing to also deliver apps of “BlockPRISM” for the both mobile operating systems by Apple and Google – iOS and Android OS.
But first, the target of the Indiegogo campaign to further develop the Chrome plugin “BlockPRISM” and to be able to develop apps for iOS and Android are U.S. $ 10,000.
This sum will be used to develop the “anti-PRISM”-Plugin for Google Chrome, iOS and Android in their main time and not just as a project beside the usual daily stuff. Afterwards, the developers of “BlockPRISM” plan to release the AddOns / Extensions for free.
Since the total failure of Cryptocat, the mainstream has almost no real tools or extensions, which are easy to handle and free. The “BlockPRISM” extension for Google Chrome could – in case it keeps what it promises – an often used solution in order to keep away intelligence services from the private communication on Facebook, Twitter & Co.
The prototype of the “BlockPRISM” extension for the Google Chrome browser is available as a free download for Chrome users to give “BlockPRISM” a test drive. Just click the button.
