What is Freenet?
Freenet is a peer-to-peer platform for censorship-resistant communication and publishing. Unlike Tor, which routes traffic through relays, Freenet stores content across a distributed network of nodes, making it virtually impossible to remove.
Key Features
Distributed Storage
Content is split into encrypted chunks and stored across thousands of nodes. No single point of failure.
Plausible Deniability
Node operators cannot know what content is stored on their machine—its encrypted.
Opennet vs Darknet
Opennet connects to any node; Darknet mode only connects to trusted friends.
Freesites
Static websites hosted on Freenet, accessible via special keys.
How It Works
1. File is encrypted with a content-derived key
2. Split into small chunks
3. Distributed across network nodes
4. User receives a "key" (URL) to retrieve content
Content Retrieval:
1. Request propagates through network
2. Nodes check if they have the chunks
3. Chunks reassembled and decrypted
4. Popular content cached on more nodes (faster access)
Freenet vs Tor
| Aspect | Freenet | Tor |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Use | Publishing/Storage | Browsing |
| Content Persistence | Permanent | Server-dependent |
| Speed | Slow | Moderate |
| Dynamic Content | Limited | Full support |
History
Freenet was created by Ian Clarke as his University of Edinburgh thesis project in 1999-2000. It was one of the first anonymous networks, predating Tor by two years. Clarke designed it specifically for censorship resistance, inspired by concerns about government control of information.
Use Cases
- Whistleblowing: Publishing sensitive documents that cannot be taken down
- Journalism: Reporters in authoritarian regimes
- Academic: Sharing research in censored countries
- Forums: Frost and FMS messaging systems
Note: Freenet is slower than Tor because content must propagate through the network. Its best suited for static publishing, not interactive browsing.