Tor Project and Tails Announce Merger
The developers of the anonymous network Tor and the Tails distribution have announced the merger of their projects. Going forward, the development of the Tails distribution will continue as part of the 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. This integration aims to simplify collaboration, increase sustainability, reduce overhead, and expand the ability to counter digital threats.
About Tails
Tails (The Amnesic Incognito Live System) is a distribution based on Debian packages, comes with the GNOME desktop environment, and is designed for anonymous internet access. By default, all connections except those routed through the Tor network are blocked by a packet filter.
Benefits of the Merger
By joining a larger organization that shares the same values and goals, the Tails development team will be able to focus on improving and developing the distribution, rather than being distracted by routine organizational and infrastructure issues. The announcement notes that the two projects have been closely collaborating since 2015, and the merger is a natural step now that Tails has outgrown the capabilities of its previous organizational structure.