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How Tor Helps Both Dissidents and the Police

Posted by timothy on from the can-I-join-your-group-I-hate-the-romans dept.

Al writes "Technology Review has a in-depth article about the anonymous networking software Tor and how it is helping dissidents spread information in oppressive regimes such as Syria, Zimbabwe and Mauritania, and opening up the unfiltered web for users in many more countries. In China, for instance, the computers found in some web cafes are configured to use Tor automatically. Interestingly, some police agencies even use the software to hide their activity from suspects. As filtering becomes ever more common in democratic countries such as the US, perhaps Tor (and similar tools such as I2P), will become even more valuable."

6 of 122 comments (clear)

  1. As with most technology by Z00L00K · · Score: 5, Insightful

    It cuts both ways.

    You can use a knife for cooking, mugging or for police action.

    But the more problematic criminals are also the ones that are most likely to be aware of this and be careful with what and who they trust.

    And the most careful persons in organized crime have sometimes only been relying on trusted messengers that have been doing all their communication. That to avoid wiretaps.

    --
    If builders built buildings the way programmers wrote programs, then the first woodpecker would destroy civilization.
    1. Re:As with most technology by Kell+Bengal · · Score: 4, Insightful

      It is impossible to rule innocent men.

      --
      Scientists point out problems, engineers fix them
      altslashdot.org: The future of slashdot.
    2. Re:As with most technology by Gerzel · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I believe "Ignorance of the law is no excuse" to be a just tenet but it must also have before it that "Absence of the law may be in some cases."

      In other words the government must put forward the laws of the land for free and make them available for the public otherwise the public is not being ignorant but instead the law is being absent.

      If I make a law and never tell the people whom will be governed by it then it is as just to enforce that law as if the law were never made.

  2. Re:Great article but by Reorix · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I recall slashdot discussing this previously in terms of Freenet, although it's probably not a full discussion of legal ramifications (since everyone here says IANAL compulsively). You'll find it here.

    As far as I can tell, much like any legal issue, most of what you'll find as far as legal discussion is mainly a lot of "Well, such-and-such may or may not apply here. Please consult your lawyer."

    As if we all just have consitutional (if you're in the US) lawyers on retainer. I wish people would just give some advice, even though it will not be authoritative.

    For some specific dissembling on this topic, you can also see freenet's legal FAQ.

  3. Re:what do you mean? by h4rr4r · · Score: 4, Insightful

    If you do choose to report it, be sure to report it in an anonymous manner. The reporter will be the first suspect, and the easiest mark for a conviction.

  4. Privacy is the next killer app by Presto+Vivace · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I have thought for some time that privacy is the next killer app. The person who solves the privacy problem will make a stack of money.