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Tor Onion Browser's Creator Explains Free Version For iOS (mike.tig.as)
The free iOS version of the Tor browser "sparked a tidal wave of interest" after its release in December, according to Silicon.co. Mickeycaskill writes: The cost has been scrapped due to developer Mike Tigas' worries that the price was limiting access to anonymous browsing for those who need it most. "Given recent events, many believe it's more important than ever to exercise and support freedom of speech, privacy rights, and digital security," Tigas wrote in a blog post. "I think now is as good a time as ever to make Onion Browser more accessible to everyone."
"I'm still a little terrified that I've made this change," Tigas adds. For four years the Tor Onion browser was available on the Apple App Store for $0.99, the lowest non-free price allowed by Apple, providing a "reliable" income to Tigas which helped him move to New York for a new job while allowing him "the economic freedom to continue working on side projects that have a positive impact in the world." Tigas also writes that "there's now a Patreon page and other ways to support the project."
Last month the Tor Project also released the first alpha version of the sandboxed Tor Browser.
"I'm still a little terrified that I've made this change," Tigas adds. For four years the Tor Onion browser was available on the Apple App Store for $0.99, the lowest non-free price allowed by Apple, providing a "reliable" income to Tigas which helped him move to New York for a new job while allowing him "the economic freedom to continue working on side projects that have a positive impact in the world." Tigas also writes that "there's now a Patreon page and other ways to support the project."
Last month the Tor Project also released the first alpha version of the sandboxed Tor Browser.
I agree. But, there may be a flip side: tor in general seems to believe, probably rightly, that more users increases anonymity for all users. The other piece is that security and privacy software don't have the level of buy-in that they should pretty much anywhere, to the point where merely having privacy and security programs on your computer can be phrased as if it were a bad or sketchy thing- the "something to hide" fallacy, which is played over and over again in media.
So when I see an app become free, my assumption is that they want a large number of installed instances of it. Usually that's for a reason like "microtransactions" or "user monitoring / data brokering and mining". But it also helps all of tor's goals without that.
Anyway, it's worth considering. Certainly, no one who wanted privacy was seriously oscillating over whether to make their multi-hundred dollar purchase cost X+1 dollars, where X > 300, and likely > 500.
Hopefully, a new president will change direction.
Sadly, I believe that Trump and many of the people he has placed in key positions in his cabinet are surveillance state supporters. This is sadly a bi-partisan issue.
If watching people lie online contributes to defeat, how the fuck did Trump win?