[tor-talk] Non-free country law preventing Tor from getting donations

[Артур Истомин]

On Sun, Jun 15, 2014 at 04:17:44PM -0500, Joe Btfsplk wrote:
> >As long as funding doesn't come with strings, there's no problem with
> >accepting it.
> Very true - more so w/ people already using Tor or those that would never
> look at how Tor is funded.
> But if some sayings were ever true, it's, "Perception is reality," and
> "You're judged by the company you keep."
> 
> People on the outside looking in, see an organization, whose primary purpose
> is to provide means to protect privacy, *especially* from gov't agencies,
> but the major portion of their funding comes FROM a gov't agency.
> 
> I'm sorry - but no matter how much I or anyone else loves Tor, to many
> "thinking" outsiders, it would appear quite fishy (if they know that funding
> fact).  "It just don't look right."
> I think it's fishy - _& I like Tor_.  If I'd actually known that fact before
> I used it, I'd have thought something wasn't right.
> 
> It may be, if they really want to grow the Tor user base (continually), it
> may have to appeal to a broader audience, for many of whom the funding
> source issue may well be a stumbling block.

Very true. In Russia, question "do you know who funded torproject?"
(assuming US gov.) arises constantly in disputes about the safety of
tor. It is a very stupid argument. But with anti-American sentiment in
mind, it sounds convincing for people not versed in the matter.