Tor Project

For the past ten years, the Tor Project has been providing the world with technology and research essential to protecting privacy and freedom of speech online.

Tor’s community of millions of daily users and almost 10,000 relay and bridge operators has played an influential role in conflicts around the world including Egypt, Tunisia, Iran, and elsewhere. The software continues to provide worldwide best-in-class anonymity and censorship circumvention solutions.

OTF’s previous support for Tor ensured the underlying technology remained resilient including the safety and usability for the packaging and interface of Tor Browser. 2016 support made it easier for third-party organizations to use and build support for Tor’s privacy and anonymizing technologies; empowered users with limited access to powerful devices and fast networks; improved the usability of Tor Browser and made it more attractive for non-technical and mainstream users; and developed and implemented defenses against online profiling and attacks.

Get the word out

Current project status

Just an idea (Pre-alpha)

It exists! (Alpha/Beta)

It's basically done (Release)

People use it (Production)

Funding to date

2013 $600,000 12 months

Internet Freedom Fund

2014 $900,000 12 months

2015 $900,000 12 months

2016 $707,300 12 months

Total Funding: $3,107,300

Addressed problems

Restrictive Internet filtering by technical methods (IP blocking, DNS filtering, TCP RST, DPI, etc.)
Blocking, filtering, or modification of political, social, and/or religious content (including apps)
Physical intimidation, arrest, violence (including device seizure or destruction), and death for political or social reasons
Repressive surveillance or monitoring of communication

Objective(s)

Deploying technology
Software or hardware development
Testing
Technology development

Beneficiaries

General public
Women
Youth
Sexual minorities
Ethnic minorities
Activists
Journalists
Advocacy groups/NGOs

Region(s)

Global

Technology attributes

Anonymity
Browser extension
Browser plugin
Desktop client
Sensitive data
User interface/experience