Whenever I open the “Oblivion app” on my phone to access free internet in my country, the face of Yousef Ghobadi and the image of “Segarou” greet me with a pang of sadness.
Yousef Ghobadi, known by the pseudonym Segarou, is a political prisoner in Iran. He created this VPN software to help people bypass strict internet filters. For this act, he was imprisoned, and his whereabouts remain unknown. No one knows if he’s still alive. All we have of him is a single photograph and the name he borrowed—Segarou.
For those of us born in the late '90s, Segarou was an unforgettable anime character—a playful boy who roamed from city to city with a group of superheroes, constantly getting himself into trouble. His loyal dog, Zomba, was always by his side, adding charm to his adventures.
Now, Segarou’s name is tied to something much bigger. The real-life Segarou, Yousef, is in prison. To write and publish this article, I had to use the VPN he designed, and seeing his face appear on my screen once more brought a bittersweet mix of gratitude and frustration.
The app’s name, “Oblivion,” means “the state of being uninformed or unconscious of what is happening around one.” It feels apt, but not quite. We’re not entirely unaware of what’s going on around us—we know. We’ve just learned to look away to get through the day. Does the term still apply to us? I’ll leave that to someone with a better grasp of the language.
Now, let’s focus on Oblivion itself.
Oblivion is an unofficial VPN that uses Cloudflare’s WARP technology to provide secure and optimized internet access. It has become an essential tool for bypassing Iran’s restrictive filters, available on various platforms including Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android.
Key Features of Oblivion:
Secure VPN Connections: Oblivion leverages the WireGuard protocol, implemented in Go, to provide encrypted and secure internet connections.
Open-Source Transparency: The app is entirely open source, with contributions managed via GitHub Actions. This transparency ensures that users can trust the software and feel confident it isn’t compromised. Remarkably, despite Yousef’s imprisonment, the project continues to thrive with regular updates.
Simple Interface: The app is designed to be user-friendly, making it accessible even for those who aren’t tech-savvy.
Multi-Platform Availability: Oblivion supports Windows (10+), macOS (10.15+), Linux (Gnome, KDE), and Android (5.0+). Downloads are available via GitHub, and the Android version can also be found on Google Play.
Cloudflare WARP Integration: The app uses WARP technology to enhance both internet speed and security.
Creative Commons Licensing: Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, Oblivion is free to use, adapt, and share under specific terms.
This app is truly impressive, yet surprisingly little is known about its creation. It’s a small but powerful example of resilience in the face of adversity.
Every time I use Oblivion, I’m reminded of the sacrifices made by people like Yousef Ghobadi—individuals who put everything on the line to create something meaningful for others.
