Why You Need Tor
The vast majority of Internet traffic passes along public routes, making it relatively easy for prying eyes to view your comings and goings -- and even link some important financial or personal information to you!
Snoopers can get your information almost anywhere:
- Your Internet service provider
- Your favorite website or online store
These activities are commonly called traffic analysis and corporations, marketing organizations, governments, and other parties are becoming increasingly sophisticated at it.
Traffic Analysis enables:
- Politically rigid governments to compile lists of citizens reading outlawed journals
- Thieves, spammers, and phishers to launch progressively sophisticated and personalized attacks
For some people, this electronic spying is a nuisance that can affect their pocketbook; for others, it jeopardizes their personal security.
Since 2001, the Tor Project has been developing free and open-source software that helps provide anonymity for Internet users. It works by allowing users to travel the web on a circuitous route on a set of servers positioned around the world. When you use Tor, your route on the Internet is indirect, so snoops have a difficult time following your path and seizing vital information. Tor also has special functionality, called hidden services, that allows users to run websites without revealing their location.
Tor is compatible with different operating systems, such as Microsoft Windows, Apple Mac, and various versions of Linux. Tor works with most programs that connect your computer to the Internet.
Tor is used by hundreds of thousands of people to protect their activities online:
- Journalists who need to protect their sources
- Human rights workers
- Dissidents in politically rigid countries
- Whistle blowers who fear retribution
- Law enforcement officers on Internet sting operations
- People wanting to post socially sensitive information in chat rooms, like rape or abuse survivors and those with stigmatized illnesses.
The Tor Network also provides protection for people looking for another layer of privacy from the millions of websites bent on collecting private information and tracking their moves online.
Why Tor Needs You
Other than a few developers, the Tor Project is largely run by volunteers. To help keep Tor's worldwide server network running and its open source software up-to-date, the Tor project is looking for new sponsors and funding.
We guarantee your money will be put to good use. For every dollar donated to the Tor Project, 85 cents goes directly into development.
Sponsors receive personal attention, better support, and the chance to help us choose which of our priorities we should focus on next.
Your contribution is tax deductible! The Tor Project is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit, making donations tax deductible for those living in the United States or those paying taxes with charitable donation reciprocity with the U.S.
You'll be in good company! Our sponsors include Google, Bell Security Solutions, SRI International, The National Science Foundation, The Netherlands' NLnet Foundation, Human Rights Watch and more than 500 individuals who have donated funds to the Tor Project.
You'll feel good because you're protecting your information and your rights. In this day and age, Tor provides a vital layer of protection for you and your data.
Please join us! Your donations will help keep this important project on the cutting edge. If you have any questions about funding the Tor Project, please contact: donations@torproject.org
