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>They are normalizing the "workaround" of using an insecure IP address when Tor is inaccessible. This will lead to all non-secretive and non-illicit Tor usage t

>They are normalizing the "workaround" of using an insecure IP address when Tor is inaccessible. This will lead to all non-secretive and non-illicit Tor usage to go back to the open insecure internet. Thus, everyone still using Tor "has something to hide" (as if that wasn't the case already). By forcing all but the most desperate users off Tor, Tor can be discredited as a nefarious tool. I think this is a reach - after all, if you wanted to discredit a tool for people in oppressive regimes, people who care about their privacy, and people doing illegal things, why start with the programming help site? (I know SE has other sites, but the biggest ones are for tech help) ...That said, I could see this being a way LE could try and unmask a very high-value darkweb programmer. Still a reach.

DoctorOW 5y ago
> I think this is a reach - after all, if you wanted to discredit a tool for people in oppressive regimes, people who care about their privacy, and people doing illegal things, why start with the programming help site? (I know SE has other sites, but the biggest ones are for tech help) My guess is they'd target websites that are important to TOR users, and tor.stackexchange.com is one of them. I also don't think they started with SE. TOR IPs are continually filtered by Google, Cloudflare, and other automated firewalls.
- stormcode 5y ago
  For good reason, though. Bad actors using tor not for privacy but to evade IP bans on websites/games/etc or to shit post or disrupt legitimate communities-- this is the issue IMO. It's easier to simply block all to IP addresses, especially if you just need it to stop and don't have the resources of a larger company. And for larger companies that block in an automated fashion as has been mentioned elsewhere, there is so much stuff coming in via those IP addresses that is shady that they all tend to get blocked or at least added to watchlists by companies like cloudflare.

DoctorOW 5y ago

> I think this is a reach - after all, if you wanted to discredit a tool for people in oppressive regimes, people who care about their privacy, and people doing illegal things, why start with the programming help site? (I know SE has other sites, but the biggest ones are for tech help) My guess is they'd target websites that are important to TOR users, and tor.stackexchange.com is one of them. I also don't think they started with SE. TOR IPs are continually filtered by Google, Cloudflare, and other automated firewalls.

stormcode 5y ago
For good reason, though. Bad actors using tor not for privacy but to evade IP bans on websites/games/etc or to shit post or disrupt legitimate communities-- this is the issue IMO. It's easier to simply block all to IP addresses, especially if you just need it to stop and don't have the resources of a larger company. And for larger companies that block in an automated fashion as has been mentioned elsewhere, there is so much stuff coming in via those IP addresses that is shady that they all tend to get blocked or at least added to watchlists by companies like cloudflare.