When authorities shut down cell networks, as happened during Hong Kong’s Umbrella Revolution protests, citizens can turn to several tools to maintain lines of communication. Presented in this article are several such apps, including Serval, StoryMaker, and the Guardian Project’s F-Droid.
“Many protesters in Hong Kong who suspect authorities may shut down some cell networks in the city have begun chatting on an app that doesn’t require a central network connection. The app, however, has some potential pitfalls and demonstrators have a few other options at their disposal, especially if they have Android phones.
Minor protests began in August, when the Chinese government announced that candidates for Hong Kong’s first ostensibly democratic mayoral election in 2017 would be vetted by Beijing, stoking fears that mainland China will never allow Hong Kong to live under true democratic leadership. Those protests swelled to tens of thousands this past week after some were arrested and others pepper-sprayed, resulting in the largest demonstrations Hong Kong has seen in years.
Though cell networks are still reportedly up and running in Hong Kong, we have a rundown of the few options Hong Kong protesters can turn to for communication without cell service, and some of the potential security problems therein.”
Read the full Mashable article here: http://mashable.com/2014/09/29/hong-kong-cell-network-chat/#G6fl4DIL9Pqx