What is the ICFP?
Now accepting applications for its fourth round of fellows, the Information Controls Fellowship Program (ICFP) focuses on research and outputs related to repressive internet censorship and surveillance.
Fellows accepted into the program may approach this topic in a variety of ways. For example, fellows may examine particular censorship methods employed by repressive governments to curtail free speech online, develop and improve novel circumvention tools, or conduct research on censorship occurring across borders through multiple states.
Who are the ICFP fellows?
OTF recognizes information controls as a multifaceted challenge that necessitates a multidisciplinary approach. ICFP fellows are therefore a diverse bunch: we’ve supported technologists, security researchers, software engineers, hackers of all sorts, and plenty of folks who wear more than one of these hats.
To date, two fellowship rounds have been completed, with the third in progress. To learn more about the people who make up the ICFP program, read about our past and current fellows:
When can I apply?
You can apply now! Apply through our open call system here. Applications for our next round of fellows will be accepted until March 19, 2017.
Note: If you aren’t quite sure the project you have in mind fits the ICFP criteria, we encourage you to still submit an application. The form is short, and in the event that OTF is unable to provide support, we may be able to identify another funder who can.
How long does the fellowship last?
Senior fellowships are either 6 months or one year in duration. Seasonal fellowships are three months in length.
Senior fellows are given a monthly stipend of $4,200 USD per month, as well as a travel stipend of $2,500 or $5,000. Seasonal fellows are given a monthly stipend of $2,500 per month.
Where do fellows work?
You tell us! ICFP fellows work with a host organization of their choosing, as specified in the application along with justification for the chosen organization.
To view a sample host organization agreement, click here.
Why be an ICFP fellow?
OTF’s ICFP fellows are working at the forefront of global internet censorship. They’re conducting groundbreaking censorship research, developing and implementing new tools to circumvent the world’s most stringent internet control mechanisms, and tracking how censorship mechanisms operate in real time.
For a better idea of what we’re talking about, listed below are a few past ICFP fellows and what they worked on during their time as fellows.
- Arthur Gwagwa, Senior Fellow
Focus: Researching information controls in southern and eastern Africa
Published output: “Analysis of the Relationship Between Online Information Controls and Elections in Zambia” - Wafa Ben Hassine, Seasonal Fellow
Focus: How Arab nations use cybercrime laws to crack down on dissidents
Published output: “The crime of Speech: How Arab Governments Use the Law to Silence Expression Online” - Jason Q. Ng, Senior Fellow
Focus: Censorship on Chinese messaging platform WeChat
Published output: “Politics, Rumors, and Ambiguity: Tracking Censorship on WeChat’s Public Accounts Platform” - [Name Redacted}, Senior Fellow
Focus: New internet circumvention methods with NAT traversal
In progress: Developing a new pluggable transport called Snowflake, this fellow’s technology is in the process of being integrated into the Tor Browser. In January 2017, Tor Browser 7.0a1 was the first (alpha) release to include a test version of the new tool.
How to Apply
Head to this page, be sure to review all of the criteria, and apply today! https://www.opentech.fund/requests/icfp