Blackburn praises Open Technology Fund’s impact in Cuba

A bipartisan bill championed by U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) is helping Cuban activists access the internet despite efforts by the communist government to stifle internet service.

Sen. Blackburn in May 2020 introduced the Open Technology Fund Authorization Act, S. 3820, with U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) to expand the U.S. government’s support for internet freedom by addressing authoritarian regimes’ escalating efforts to censor, restrict and surveil the internet. The bill became law as part of H.R.6395, the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021.  The FY21 NDAA became law on January 1, 2021 after Congress overrode President Donald Trump’s veto. 

The U.S. Agency for Global Media’s (USAGM) Open Technology Fund provides funding for Psiphon, an internet censorship circumvention tool that is allowing Cuban activists to continue organizing protests online and daily unique users have spiked to over 146,000 since the demonstrations in the country began, according to the senator’s office.

“Socialism and communism leads to pain and suffering, and Cuba is the perfect example,” Sen. Blackburn said. “The repressive Cuban government is attempting to squash protests by cutting off internet access for Cubans rebelling against communism. 

“Yet, over 146,000 Cubans continue to have daily access to the internet thanks to open-source tools supported by the bipartisan Open Technology Fund my colleagues and I championed,” she said. “The United States must do everything in its power to support those standing up to authoritarian regimes.”

As a Technology at Scale project, Psiphon will continue its long-running support to the USAGM by helping audiences discover and access USAGM content through both its own application and by ensuring that USAGM news apps remain uncensored, according to Sen. Blackburn’s office.