Twitter has decided to open up a Tor service for their site, allowing users to get a more private and uncensored version of Twitter.
The addition of this service is a step in the right direction and is a light at the end of the tunnel for full internet privacy.
The Tor browser, developed by the United States Naval Research Laboratory to protect U.S. communications, is an open-source browser that allows anonymous internet connections through an encrypted server.
Tor users now have access to Twitter, which will allow citizens from authoritarian regimes to get access to alternative media sources.
The Tor network allows users to explore the internet freely without trackers and government surveillance, which has made it an important tool for citizens of authoritarian regimes, according to an Oct. 4, 2019 Medium article.
Twitter’s move to Tor has also given many Russians access to the site after it was banned during the invasion of Ukraine, according to a March 9 Tech Crunch article.
This allows Russian nationals to gain access to Western media and news about the conflict in Ukraine instead of relying on state media and propaganda.
This was the main intended use for implementing the Tor browser with Twitter.
Internet privacy is extremely important for anyone, not just people living in authoritarian regimes because it prevents people from building an echo chamber around the content they view every day.
An echo chamber is a dangerous phenomenon on the internet in which users get their information only from sources that echo their own beliefs, according to a Global Learning article.
I have used Duck Duck Go, another browser that prioritizes privacy and an uncensored browsing experience, since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.
Since then, I’ve no longer been bombarded by tailored advertisements or biased Google search results and I have access to a wider range of news sources.
Twitter’s Tor version can also help prevent users from being “doxxed,” which is the nefarious practice of posting a user's personal information online.
The Tor network encrypts user traffic and sends that data through multiple servers throughout the world to give users anonymous searching.
However, some Twitter users are worried this tool may be used to attract bad actors because of the browser's ability to function as a way to buy drugs and child pornography online.
This shouldn’t take away from the fact that this tool is still needed by thousands of people across the world to access uncensored information freely and privately.
While people argue that the use of filter systems can help prevent users from seeing dangerous information and content, everyone has the right to form their own opinions and political leanings.
Preventing users from accessing certain information because it is “too extreme” can easily spiral out of control and lead to the censorship of non-dangerous or critical information.
Internet giants including Google shouldn’t have the power to decide what is dangerous content because humans are biased and could influence the political wing Google filters out more often.
For example, if a religious group believes homosexuality is a sin, the group has the right to discuss this doctrine online. However, there may be pressure on Google to hide such rhetoric which could lead to a lack of a space for religious leaders and followers to discuss their beliefs.
This will only create more political polarization in our country.
Services like the Tor browser must continue to exist, especially with access to sites like Facebook and Twitter, because people will always want a private and uncensored internet.
