Merging for Privacy: The Tor Project Teams Up with Tails, a Linux OS

The Tor Project has announced a significant merger with Tails, a Linux-based operating system designed to prioritize user privacy and anonymity. This collaboration emerges in a climate of heightened digital surveillance and increasing regulatory efforts aimed at undermining end-to-end encryption. Additionally, the issue of censorship across online services remains a critical global concern.

The merger will see Tails integrated into the Tor Project's organizational structure, a change that aims to enhance collaboration, ensure better sustainability, minimize operational overhead, and expand training and outreach initiatives to combat a growing array of digital threats. According to a blog post by Pavel Zoneff, the Tor Project’s PR and communications director, this integration will streamline processes and resources between the two organizations.

Founded in 2006, the Tor Project is a nonprofit organization widely recognized for developing Tor, or “The Onion Router.” This privacy-centric network anonymizes internet traffic by routing it through multiple servers, encrypting data along the way. The Tor Project has also developed browsers compatible with various operating systems and has gained support from major tech companies engaged in privacy initiatives.

On the other hand, Tails, which stands for “The Amnesic Incognito Live System,” was released in 2009 and operates on a Debian-based Linux distribution. It is designed to be lightweight and portable, enabling users to boot the operating system from removable storage devices like USB drives. This functionality ensures that Tails leaves minimal digital footprints, enhancing user privacy.

The relationship between Tor and Tails has been longstanding, as Tails connects to the internet through the Tor network by default. Furthermore, Tails has received substantial support from various organizations and foundations over the years, including funding from the Tor Project itself to assist with developer resources.

The decision to merge makes strategic sense given the complementary focus of both projects on safeguarding online privacy and anonymity. This alignment is particularly beneficial for individuals facing heightened risks in an increasingly surveillant digital landscape, including activists, journalists, and other vulnerable groups.

Edward Snowden, a prominent figure known for his whistleblowing against the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA), has publicly endorsed both Tor and Tails, revealing that he utilized Tails during his disclosures over a decade ago.

The merger was initiated when Tails approached the Tor Project towards the end of 2023, expressing a need for structural support due to its expansion. Intrigeri, a team leader for Tails OS, remarked on the challenges of running Tails independently for 15 years, stating that the most demanding aspects were not technological but rather related to essential functions such as fundraising, finance, and human resources. Intrigeri expressed relief that Tails is now under the Tor Project’s umbrella, allowing for a more streamlined approach to these critical tasks.

By merging their resources, technology, and personnel, the Tor Project anticipates being better positioned to tackle the threats posed by global mass surveillance and censorship, which jeopardize the principles of a free internet. This partnership is expected to broaden the Tor Project's initiatives to encompass a wider range of privacy needs and security scenarios, promoting technological alignment between the two entities.

Executive Director Isabela Fernandes emphasized that the merger not only facilitates easier collaboration for the teams involved but also ensures the sustainable development and advancement of these essential tools for privacy. The joint effort will enable faster and more efficient integration of new features, fostering a stronger ecosystem for user privacy and security.