Tor Project Announces Major Staff Reductions

The nonprofit Tor ProjectThe Tor Project is a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting online privacy and ensuring uncensored access to the internet. Emerging from U.S. Naval Research Lab experiments with onion routing in the 1990s, Tor evolved into a decentralized, volunteer-powered network that hides user identities by routing traffic through multiple encrypted relays. Since the launch of the Tor Browser in 2008, it has become a crucial tool for activists, journalists, and everyday users worldwide—supporting free expression during events like the Arab Spring and proving resilient in the face of mass surveillance disclosures. Today, Tor is sustained by a global community committed to human rights, transparency, and digital freedom. More, which oversees the development of the anonymous Tor network, has announced significant staff cuts. Due to financial difficulties and the crisis caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus pandemic, the organization has been forced to let go of 13 employees.

Twenty-two staff members remain employed, all part of the Core team responsible for working on the Tor Browser and the Tor ecosystem. The organization notes that this is a difficult but necessary measure to ensure the continued existence of the project.