Quick Summary of the Community Call with Sudo and Jack
Date: June 26, 2025
• @sudonym • Jack
Key Topics
• 
Main focus of the call – censorship resistance and internet blackouts amid the Iran–Israel conflict.
• 
Discussion on NymVPN performance during full internet blackouts and protocol-level restrictions.
• 
Current roadmap progress: API hardening, new protocol integration, and flexible anti-censorship strategies.
• 
Announcement of voting on NIP-1 and NIP-2 – first steps toward decentralized governance.
Censorship Resistance in Conflict Zones
• 
Iran executed a full disconnection from the global internet (June 19–21), restricting access to the internal network only.
• 
Blackouts occur via a single international gateway in Tehran – this central point makes nationwide shutdowns easier.
• 
Alternative access provided via Starlink and mesh networks → critical for blackout preparedness.
NymVPN Development
• 
A new censorship-resistant protocol is scheduled for Q3 rollout – effective in Russia and China.
• 
Additional 2–3 protocols expected in Q4 (e.g., VLESS/Reality, V2Ray, TLS-based).
• 
Development follows the “Hydra approach” – when one protocol is blocked, the system switches to another.
• 
Amnesia WireGuard is already in use → often works in Russia, unstable in China and Iran.
Bypassing Censorship
• DNS traffic is often left unblocked, even during blackouts – can be used to bootstrap access.
• 
VPN distribution via torrents, mesh networks, and P2P messengers (Matrix, Delta Chat) is key when app stores are blocked.
• 
Pre-installation of circumvention tools is essential → once the network goes down, installing VPNs becomes nearly impossible.
• 
NymVPN API will be hardened in Q3 → improved resistance against login and token request blocking.
User Recommendations
• 
Share observations – what’s working, what’s not. This feedback improves team responsiveness.
• 
Use a variety of tools (Psiphon, V2Ray, etc.) → diversification = resilience.
• 
Engage with the community: trust, APK sharing, and distribution networks are vital during crises.
NIPs and Governance
• NIP-1 (voting process) and NIP-2 (first proposal) are published – voting takes place on the forum.
• Only node operators vote via Governator, but alternatives like Decidim are being explored.
• 
The community suggests expanding voting topics, though marketing decisions are unlikely to be included.
User Growth
• 
The Early Bird campaign led to a record-breaking single-day purchase volume.
• 
Despite being an early-stage product, users value its privacy and anonymity.
• 
Thanks to all who report bugs and help improve the client.
NSL and the Future
• 
The new NSL season begins in July. Focus is on improving UX across the user journey, not adding new features.
• 
A themed season (e.g., Rick and Morty) is being considered, but will take time to implement.