Editing Anonymous P2P (section)

===Freedom of speech===
Some claim that true [[freedom of speech]], especially on controversial subjects, is difficult or impossible unless individuals can speak anonymously. If anonymity is not possible, one could be subjected to threats or reprisals for voicing an unpopular view. This is one reason why voting is done by secret [[ballot]] in many democracies. Controversial information which a party wants to keep hidden, such as details about corruption issues, is often published or leaked anonymously.

====Anonymous blogging====
{{main|Anonymous blogging}}
[[Anonymous blogging]] is one widespread use of anonymous networks. While anonymous blogging is possible on the non-anonymous internet to some degree too, a provider hosting the blog in question might be forced to disclose the blogger's [[IP address]] (as when Google revealed an anonymous blogger's identity<ref>Declan McCullagh (2007). [https://archive.today/20121208200015/http://www.news.com/8301-13578_3-9824638-38.html Google: We had no choice in Israel ID request]. CNET News.com article, retrieved 2008-02-11.</ref>). Anonymous networks provide a better degree of anonymity. Flogs (anonymous blogs) in Freenet, [[Syndie]] and other blogging tools in [[I2P]] and [[Osiris (Serverless Portal System)|Osiris sps]] are some examples of anonymous blogging technologies.

One argument for anonymous blogging is a delicate nature of work situation. Sometimes a blogger writing under their real name faces a choice between either staying silent or causing a harm to themselves, their colleagues or the company they work for.<ref>Bill Vallicella (2004). [http://maverickphilosopher.blogspot.com/2004/07/reasons-for-anonyblogging.html Reasons for 'Anonyblogging'] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060514095855/http://maverickphilosopher.blogspot.com/2004/07/reasons-for-anonyblogging.html |date=2006-05-14 }}. Maverick Philosopher blog, retrieved 2008-02-11.</ref>

Another reason is risk of lawsuits. Some bloggers have faced multimillion-dollar lawsuits<ref>Media Bloggers Association (2006). [https://web.archive.org/web/20070630182947/http://www.mediabloggers.org/mba-news/mba-member-hit-with-multi-million-dollar-federal-lawsuit MBA Member Hit With Multi-Million Dollar Federal Lawsuit]. Retrieved 2008-02-11.</ref> (although they were later dropped completely<ref>Associated Press (2006). [http://www.boston.com/news/local/maine/articles/2006/05/06/ad_agency_drops_lawsuit_against_maine_blogger/ Ad agency drops lawsuit against Maine blogger]. Retrieved 2008-02-11.</ref>); anonymous blogging provides protection against such risks.

====Censorship via Internet domain names====
On the non-anonymous Internet, a [[domain name]] like "[[example.com]]" is a key to accessing information. The censorship of the Wikileaks website shows that domain names are extremely vulnerable to censorship.{{Citation needed|date=June 2023}} Some domain registrars have suspended customers' domain names even in the absence of a court order.{{Citation needed|date=June 2023}}

For the affected customer, blocking of a domain name is a far bigger problem than a registrar refusing to provide a service; typically, the registrar keeps full control of the domain names in question. In the case of a European travel agency, more than 80 .com websites were shut down without any court process and held by the registrar since then. The travel agency had to rebuild the sites under the .net [[top-level domain]] instead.<ref>Adam Liptak (2008). [https://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/04/us/04bar.html A Wave of the Watch List, and Speech Disappears] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170407043030/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/04/us/04bar.html |date=2017-04-07 }}. ''The New York Times'', 2008-03-04. Retrieved 2008-03-09.</ref>

On the other hand, anonymous networks do not rely on [[domain name registrar]]s. For example, Freenet, [[I2P]] and Tor hidden services implement censorship-resistant URLs based on [[public-key cryptography]]: only a person having the correct private key can update the URL or take it down.