Tor Project keeps Mullvad ties but halts co-branding after donation backlash
A statement on the Tor Project's relationship with Mullvad
After a Mullvad co-founder's political donation sparked community concern, the Tor Project decided to maintain its technical collaboration but pause proactive co-branding. The decision followed due diligence including staff surveys and financial analysis. Tor acknowledges the trust cost but says the work improves Tor Browser's codebase and expands privacy access. The project will clarify language on its channels to avoid implied endorsement.
Tor’s mission has always required both principle and pragmatism.
- palmotea
> Recent concerns about a political donation by a Mullvad co-founder have raised questions about the Tor Project's funding relationship with the company.
It's kind of obnoxious that they assume everyone already knows the details of whatever controversy this is, and don't even provide a link to any explanation.
So what's the controversy?
- hn_submit
> While Tor defends free speech, not all speech is equally compatible with our mission. We strongly oppose rhetoric that threatens other human rights and freedoms.
I disagree with this. Free speech is in essence, absolute. As soon as you start making allowances and exceptions the entire subject is moot.
The only threshold should be calls for violence or murder. AFAIK the Mullvad founder hasn't crossed this line.
- s1n_
They clearly just need the funding, which is few and far between on tools like this and they aren’t in a position to be able to take a moral stance. Can’t say I blame them too much other than the co-branding idea.
- hypfer
Content aside, is there anything or anyone forcing Foss projects to pick up this voice?
I understand that TOR is big and professional and all, but why does this read like a press statement of every tech corp under the sun?
Do we have to talk like this?
- ekjhgkejhgk
Ooof I don't want these two to break up.
Mullvad browser is my favorite browser, and it's tor browser minus connection to tor.
- bflesch
Why is Mullvad making so much money and other VPN providers are seemingly not?
- akimbostrawman
expected virtue signaling but at least they aren't stupid enough cut relationships completely.
- Onavo
> While Tor defends free speech, not all speech is equally compatible with our mission.
It's sad to see the backslide. In the olden days free speech absolutists would defend all speech short of fires in the cinema. Nowadays it has to be compatible with their brand of political correctness else they will tar and brush you or stay conspicuously silent.
You see the same backsliding in the Electronic Frontier Foundation and other non profits. They are a lot more neoliberal now than liberal. Interests over values.