Hello everyone!
With three stable Tor Browser releases (two for desktop, one for Android), much of my work focussed on user support around these releases. Prior to the release of Tor Browser 13, I worked to review and update our user-facing documentation on Tor Browser User Manual[0].
I also handled some tickets from users reaching out for support and questions about Tor in light of the launch of the year-end campaign[1]. The questions range from, "where can I download Tor Browser from?", "I can't reach xyz.com", "this particular onion service isn't working","apart from donating, can I contribute with ideas/suggestions?", etc.
In October, we closed many tickets that were already resolved, but they were in the 'open' queue. We also had some private bridge "country code" requests that ended up being basic troubleshooting problem. And finally, many tickets were created by a few users trying to get new bridges. So each ticket that we closed was marked as 'resolved' hence showing up in the numbers although counted just once in the breakdown.
Following is a thorough breakdown of tickets our user support team handled in October:
# Frontdesk (email support channel)
* 965(↑) RT tickets created * 1280(↑) RT tickets resolved
Tickets by numbers:
1. 204(↓) RT tickets: private bridge requests from Chinese speaking users. 2. 174(↓) RT tickets: circumventing censorship in Russian speaking countries. 3. 27 RT tickets: user support and common Tor questions in aftermath of launch of YEC. 4. 9(↑) RT tickets: circumventing censorship with Tor in Farsi. 5. 8(↑) RT tickets: help with installing and troubleshooting Tor Browser on Linux. 6. 4 RT tickets: All saved passwords lost after updating to Tor Browser 13.0.[2] 7. 3 RT tickets: Tor Browser 13 (lyrebird) not working with Windows 7.[3] 8. 3 RT tickets: Questions about internships and volunteering with Tor.[4] 9. 1 RT ticket: Tor Browser empties clipboard while shutting down.[5] 10. 1 RT ticket: Tor Browser detected as malware on Windows.[6]
# Telegram, WhatsApp and Signal Support channel
* 681(↑) tickets resolved
Breakdown:
* 633(↑) tickets on Telegram * 34(↑) tickets on WhatsApp * 14(↑) tickets on Signal
Tickets by numbers:
1. 370(↑) tickets: circumventing censorship in Russian speaking countries. 2. 37(↑) tickets: circumventing censorship with Tor in Farsi. 3. 30(↑) tickets: private bridge requests from Chinese speaking users. 4. 3(↓) tickets: Tor Browser detected as malware on Windows
# Highlights from the Tor Forum
1. Call for testers: Webtunnel, a new way to bypass censorship with Tor Browser.[7] 2. PSA: Updated Tor User Support office hours (2023)[8] 3. Tor Browser no longer flagged by Windows Defender[6]
Thanks! e.
Note: (↑), (↓) and (-) are indicative if the number of tickets we received for these topics have been increasing, decreasing or have been the same from the previous month respectively.
[0]: https://gitlab.torproject.org/tpo/web/manual/-/issues/150 [1]: https://blog.torproject.org/2023-fundraiser-make-a-donation-to-Tor/ [2]: https://forum.torproject.org/t/saved-passwords-gone-after-upgrade-to-tor-bro... [3]: https://gitlab.torproject.org/tpo/applications/tor-browser/-/issues/42179 [4]: https://community.torproject.org/ [5]: https://gitlab.torproject.org/tpo/applications/tor-browser/-/issues/42154 [6]: https://forum.torproject.org/t/torbrowser-12-5-6-no-longer-flagged-by-window... [7]: https://forum.torproject.org/t/call-for-testers-webtunnel-a-new-way-to-bypas... [8]: https://forum.torproject.org/t/psa-updated-tor-user-support-office-hours-202...