This petition is regarding the recent restrictions placed on the campus Wi-Fi network by The Chief Warden Office and iBus.

Ever since the start of the semester, we have experienced loads of restrictions on the campus WiFi which includes VPN services, DNS and DoH protocols and some gaming sites.

 

Here is the known list of services blocked by iBus. 

• Gaming:
  - Steam
  - Epic Games
  - Roblox
  - Skribbl
  - Chess.com
  and more
• VPN sites
  - ProtonVPN
  - NordVPN
  - Surfshark
• WARP protocol
  - Cloudflare warp
  - Wireguard
  
  
• DNS and DoH (DNS over HTTPS) is blocked
  - Cloudflare
  - Google DNS
  - OpenDNS

 

What problems does this cause?

 

It compromises privacy and online safety

•  DNS and DoH (DNS over HTTPS) protect against third-party attacks by encrypting web traffic lookups, preventing outsiders on the same network from spying on or tampering with your connection. They also protect online privacy by hiding which websites you're visiting even if the content itself is already encrypted. Blocking them strips away that layer of security and leaves users more exposed, not less.
• VPNs encrypt your entire internet connection, protecting it from being monitored, logged, or tampered with by anyone on the network which includes the ISP or campus admin. They're widely used for privacy, secure access to remote work or study tools, and to prevent data leaks on shared networks like campus Wi-Fi. Blocking them removes a key layer of online safety.
• Cloudflare Warp is a DNS-based VPN that encrypts and routes traffic to improve privacy and security, particularly on shared networks. Blocking it removes a simple, effective layer of protection students use to avoid tracking, interception, or tampering over campus Wi-Fi. It also improves the quality of internet connection with respect tot he speed and latency. 

 

We are paying a hefty hostel fees for downgraded services

•  It's not a secret that the fees we pay for staying in our hostel rooms costs alot, at this rate we would expect the WiFi to do it's basic duties but instead we got restrictions on commonly used services.
• The restrictions on these sites were never announced, it just happened overnight while we were at our homes during the summer break.

Blocking gaming sites dictates how we should use our free time

• Blocking gaming sites dictates how we, as adults should be using our free time. Many of us like to play video games during our free time and putting restrictions on the most common gaming services is just treating us like children instead of legal adults.
• Blocking access to Chess.com directly affects students involved in the campus chess club, where the platform is regularly used for practice, friendly matches, and preparation for tournaments. This isn’t casual gaming, it is tied to student clubs and chess competitions in MIT. 

We request The Chief Warden Office and iBus to lift the restrictions imposed on the WiFi in order to protect our privacy and interests. A progressive college should be about freedom of students rather than limiting their access to internet. If the administration can restrict our internet, soon they can come with more campus restrictions like the face scanners in Block 14.

This isn’t about gaming or committing shady practise. It’s about autonomy, transparency, and respect. We deserve the freedom to choose how we spend our time.