[tor-talk] Tor Exit Operator convicted in Austrian lower court

[Joe Btfsplk]

On 7/3/2014 10:34 AM, Zenaan Harkness wrote:
> Agreed, great news.
>
> In hindsight, it is clear that we as a community have an interest to
> build a resource of amicus curiae briefs - friend of the court briefs.
> So PLEASE make moves in the direction of contributing and collecting
> documents which may be relevant to future cases - at the least a
> simple collection of legal docs.
>
Definitely!  /"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."/ - Ben 
Franklin.

Perhaps out of fear of legal liability, Tor Project doesn't seem to have 
what would be very helpful for relay operators - guides, documents - 
even access to basic legal advice,  of how to best avoid legal issues to 
begin with.

I know nothing of legalities surrounding that, but people starting a 
relay w/o proper guidance on how to avoid legal problems as much as 
possible, *doesn't quite seem right.*

In a worst case scenario, running relays can be truly *life 
destroying.*  It seems volunteers need better preparation & education 
about potential ramifications.  If after being educated, they still 
choose to run relays (especially exit), that's fine.

However, it would seem wrong to not make reasonably complete education 
materials available to potential relay operators, to prepare them & warn 
them of potential downside.
Without relay operators, there won't be much left (unless independent 
volunteers no longer handle that function).

Accused persons dealing w/ problems like this after the fact, is far, 
far worse than even an extraordinary amount of time spent on preventing 
/ avoiding them.
If LEAs / judicial system actively investigates someone (throwing around 
terms like child porn), or indicts a person, the mental stress alone is 
enough to ruin one's life.  That is no exaggeration.

If you've never been falsely accused of something & had to defend 
yourself - even before it goes to trial (or never does), the stress is 
incredible.