TOR Browser irrelevent?

[MaryStrain.io]

happy Monday.

does anyone use a tor browser? and if so does downloading the tor browser automatically put you on a watchlist?

Originally bitcoin saw it's first real use-cases a currency on some if not most of the nefarious onion sits that are only accessed with a TOR browser.  Now that bitcoin has emerged from the shadows so to speak, much of the dark web has come with it.  Sites like PopCorn time, Silk Road and others are being shut down on the regular.  Black markets for illegal drugs etc have become mature offline in recent years.  At the same time streaming services offer an affordable option to illegal services.  ---- In the first world anyway.

I'm curious on what the international community's thoughts are on the topic?  Looking forward to thoughts.

M1
 

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[cameron_EMI]

Well. Governments love to spy on their citizens, no matter what. Tor Browser is a decent browser that allows you to browse the web anonymously as long as you know how to do it properly.

According to Tor's website, "Tor can't solve all anonymity problems. It focuses only on protecting the transport of data. You need to use protocol-specific support software if you don't want the sites you visit to see your identifying information. For example, you can use Tor Browser while browsing the web to withhold some information about your computer's configuration."

If you want to avoid from your government noticing you downloading Tor Browser on your computer, I suggest you to get a reliable paid version VPN to download it OR take your flash USB and download into your flash USB on a computer at public library or an internet cafe. Disclaimer: It doesn't guarantee your privacy 100%. Good luck!

[Teleshot]

The Tor software protests you by bouncing your communications around a distributed network of relays run by volunteers all around the world: it prevents somebody watching your Internet connection from learning what sites you visit, it prevents the sites you visit from learning your physical location, and it lets you access sites which are blocked.

But you should be aware that you *might* be at risk. You should remember is that you never know if you’re anonymous truly, or not.

[squall1066]

yes, you are all right, tor is not 100% secure, any intermediate/advanced coder could do a trace and work out backwards, but they have to know where to start, I use tor when I am not on my own network as I don't want other wireless networks to know where I am going, that's all, I don't use it to try and hide behind permanently.

as for if the government is watching/tagging is another story, and depends if you ware a tin foil hat or not lol.

[samescrew235]

Is TOR better than using a VPN service?

[flametoken]

Is TOR better than using a VPN service?

Depends on why you are using them. They are similar, in the sense that they mask your origin to the end server that you are visiting, but they are not the same. With VPN you have to trust the service provider that it doesn't keep a record of your browsing habits that the governments can later subpoena them to hand over. You can also use OpenVPN on a machine you bought with Bitcoin from OVH or Digital Ocean and this will insure additional layer of security.

The main problem with TOR is it's vulnerabilities. Because there are just a few exit nodes, if some malicious actor (let's say, NSA) wants to find you then they can join with a few exit nodes and then find out your real IP. If everyone would have hosted an exit node, then it would have been incredibly difficult to discover you.

Also, because of the small number of exit nodes, the speed over TOR is excruciatingly slow compared to a VPN provider, that usually maxes out your home connection.

[MaryStrain.io]

Thanks all for your responses so far.