Swedish Researchers Expose China's Tor-Blocking Tricks

An anonymous reader writes "A pair of researchers at Karlstad University have been able to establish how the Great Firewall of China sets about blocking unpublished Tor bridges. The GFC inspects web traffic looking for potential bridges and then attempts 'to speak Tor' to the hosts. If they reply, they're deemed to be Tor bridges and blocked. While this looks like another example of the cat and mouse game between those wishing to surf the net anonymously and a government intent on curtailing online freedoms, the researchers suggest ways that the latest blocking techniques may be defeated."

Pedantic response ensues

[ojintoad]

While this looks like another example of the cat and mouse game between those wishing to surf the net anonymously and a government intent on curtailing online freedoms, the researchers suggest ways that the latest blocking techniques may be defeated."

I hatelove slashdot summaries, and here is another example of why. Yes, I haven't read TFA.

When you use the word "while" like this, it sounds like you're going to be contradicting the first point. Especially when you use the phrase "this looks like" immediately afterward.

Instead, the second part of the sentence goes on to directly corroborate what the scenario looks like. Surprise! While it looks like you're setting up a contradiction, you finish up with reinforcement.

So in fact it doesn't just "[look] like another example of the cat and mouse game", but in fact it literally is an example of the cat and mouse game, and the researches propose another way for the mouse to escape. And yet another awkward summary graces the Slashdot homepage, in the grand tradition.