Russia blocked Tor browser
Tor Project's website, torproject.org, has been blocked by Russia's largest Internet service providers, and sources say Russia is preparing to implement a complete blockade of the project.
Tor is a software project that allows users to automatically encrypt and browse anonymously. It is commonly used to protect identities from certain websites and service providers and helps users hide their online trail, access information without fear of exposure, and circumvent censorship.
Russia's censorship of Tor's site began on December 1, 2021, and many users initially ignored it, thinking it was just a test of Runet, a Russian space internet project. However, it seems that Russia is still conducting a coordinated action against Tor, organized by Roskomnadzor, the Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology, and Media.
In addition to the Tor Project, six other VPN services have been blocked in Russia, creating barriers to anonymous internet access for users in the country.
In response to the mentioned situation, Tor Project called on volunteers to launch Tor Bridges to help Russian users stay online, Bleeping Computer reports.
“Russia is the country with the second largest number of Tor users, with more than 300,000 users per day, which makes up 15% of all total Tor users. It seems that this situation could quickly escalate and completely block Tor throughout the country, so an urgent reaction is needed. Now we need your help so that the Russians can stay connected with Tor ", they stated from Tor Project in a blog post.
The use of Tor is very controversial and there are conflicting opinions. Some argue that Tor is a good defense against censorship, especially for users in countries that do not respect human rights, while others believe that such a service protects criminals and helps them hide illegal activities. This problem has also been addressed by security experts, who in 2020 found that almost 7% of Tor users visit websites that could offer illegal services and content.
