Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) have become popular as tools to protect online identity and bypass censorship, and they are widely used by journalists and activists. However, protection is not automatic: it depends on the provider’s integrity and business model. Choosing a service requires evaluating its logging policy, jurisdiction, and monetization practices. Investigations, such as those conducted by Zimperium, have revealed that more than 65% of free mobile VPN applications contain vulnerabilities or collect data without consent, enabling its sale to … Read more

In social movements, a psychosocial phenomenon known as learned helplessness occurs when individuals or activist groups, after repeated exposure to repressive or invisibilizing situations, internalize the belief that they cannot change oppressive structures. This mechanism undermines individual and collective confidence, weakens the capacity for joint action, and facilitates political paralysis. A historical example of this dynamic is the Solidarity movement in Poland during the 1980s. Founded in the Gdańsk shipyards and led by Lech Wałęsa, it mobilized around 10 million … Read more

Historical Introduction Between January and April 2003, one of the largest transnational mobilizations in contemporary history took place. In response to the impending US- and UK-led invasion of Iraq, approximately 36 million people took part in anti-war protests across hundreds of cities in more than 60 countries, according to estimates cited in academic studies and later compilations. While widely referenced, these figures remain subject to historical debate and include mobilizations carried out over several months. February 15, 2003 marked the … Read more

 Personal or institutional dependence on technological tools from corporations like Google and Microsoft constitutes a structural threat that goes beyond individual privacy. These companies operate through extractive models that commodify personal data, restrict interoperability, and create dependency through proprietary confinement or “vendor lock-in,” making it practically impossible to switch to another service provider. When using proprietary software, control over sensitive information is surrendered. Imposed updates modify functionalities without consent, algorithms manipulate behavior, and security breaches expose data to third parties. … Read more