Best way to help the Tor network?
2889 sats \ 11 comments \ @pillar 13 Aug 2022 bitcoin
I've been using Tor for years now and I am always impressed by how important it is for privacy and freedom in so many ways. Since I started playing around with the Lighting Network, my admiration did nothing but grow.
If an individuals wants to help support the network, what is best way (besides donating) to do so?
I was looking into running a relay node at home but I'm not sure if it's the best thing I could do or even useful at all.
write
preview
related posts
1036 sats \ 1 reply \ @zuspotirko 13 Aug 2022
The easiest way is to have a relay node. It increases the number of possible routes and is generally good for Tor. Especially if you have a good internet connection.
The second thing is to just use it! I recommend always using it for e.g. researching stuff for online shopping. Tell friends/family to download the apps and explain that it offers real privacy compared to incognito mode.
Get your companie to support it. You'd be surprised how many companies have exit nodes running. And I don't mean only IT companies where some tech guy convinced the boss that they need it for penetration testing - lot of medium sized companies have nodes because the owners ore convinced. The legal status of companies/foundations/clubs/universities are the perfect vehicle to provide exit traffic since no individual human person is liable.
Get other companies to support it. When the Wallstreetjournal recieves enough emails or cn.wsj.com to a tornode make up a big part of their advertising they will ring the bell. Write emails to Tim Cook or Jeff Bezos personally - one day they will learn.
You can even found a club. There are many clubs only for running Tor exit nodes e.g. Zwiebelfreunde e.v. But many are also wider tech associations such as local Java User groups or other tech enthusiasts.
reply
47 sats \ 0 replies \ @pillar OP 13 Aug 2022
Thoughtful answer, thanks a lot.
reply
40 sats \ 0 replies \ @deleted231216 13 Aug 2022
+1000 sats. Tor needs many diverse nodes, so an extra relay node could help a lot (as long as it's safe for you).
I wrote about a Tor node funding idea here: https://anarkiocrypto.medium.com/second-realm-ideas-caebc787d791 but didn't make any proof-of-concept yet.
reply
122 sats \ 0 replies \ @based 13 Aug 2022
Straight from the horse's mouth, https://blog.torproject.org/wrapping-up-bridges-campaign/
This links to two campaigns (call for help from users), one with general instructions for more relays which was successful and the other, still ongoing I think, has more to do specifically with censorship of Russians. I suggest you follow that path, which they describe as an ongoing arms race.
reply
111 sats \ 1 reply \ @shyfire 13 Aug 2022
I went through the same as you. I pay a couple bucks a month and run an exit node on a cloud provider, and I donate some money now and then.
reply
200 sats \ 0 replies \ @f6287b82CC84bcbd 13 Aug 2022
Same
reply
101 sats \ 0 replies \ @nout 13 Aug 2022
What about running Tor Snowflake Proxy on your Umbrel? As far as I can tell that can help people, but I don't understand the technical details behind it that well
reply
100 sats \ 2 replies \ @f6287b82CC84bcbd 13 Aug 2022
Run a relay or even better an exit node if you dare hahah
reply
218 sats \ 1 reply \ @shyfire 13 Aug 2022
FYI I notified my cloud provider, Linode, that I'm running an exit node and they're cool with it. So I don't think there's much dare to it anymore .. but yeah wouldn't run it from my home
reply
100 sats \ 0 replies \ @shyfire 4 Sep 2022
Update: Linode made me shut it down
reply
0 sats \ 0 replies \ @Cornleone 14 Aug 2022
Cool topic, going to explore this further
reply