BoingBoing Says Running Exits Is No Trouble re: LEA
https://boingboing.net/2016/07/01/researchers-find-over-100-spyi.html "Many people fear that running an exit node will put them in police crosshairs if it gets used in the commission of a crime. For the record, Boing Boing runs a very high-capacity exit node, and though we've received multiple contacts from US law enforcement, we've just explained that this is a Tor node that runs with logging switched off, and thus we have no information that'll be relevant to any investigations, and the officers involved have thanked us and gone away without further trouble." -- BoingBoing
Except the operators at BoingBoing have the privilege of corporate liability (instead of personal liability), and very likely corporate counsel (i.e., a nice legal team) as well. It seems easier to say "don't worry about it, it's not really a problem" from that perspective. For the average Tor volunteer operator, all that comfort, protection and privilege is gone. _My_ ass is on the line. Or at least it feels that way. I guess I'm saying, I wouldn't get too comfortable. Definitely not to the point of breaking rule #1 of running an exit -- don't do it from home.
On 7/6/16, Green Dream <greendream848@gmail.com> wrote:
It seems easier to say "don't worry about it, it's not really a problem" from that perspective.
That's a given.
For the average Tor volunteer operator, all that comfort, protection and privilege is gone. _My_ ass is on the line. Or at least it feels that way.
Setting up the equivalent of LLC for relays can be relatively inexpensive compared to a few years of overall operating costs. And operators should at least shop for and say hi heads up in person to a lawyer in advance anyways. And let the ISP know all that because they're first contact LEA makes.
On 07/06/2016 01:09 PM, Green Dream wrote:
Except the operators at BoingBoing have the privilege of corporate liability (instead of personal liability), and very likely corporate counsel (i.e., a nice legal team) as well.
It seems easier to say "don't worry about it, it's not really a problem" from that perspective.
For the average Tor volunteer operator, all that comfort, protection and privilege is gone. _My_ ass is on the line. Or at least it feels that way.
I guess I'm saying, I wouldn't get too comfortable. Definitely not to the point of breaking rule #1 of running an exit -- don't do it from home.
Exits are best run from some corporate set-up for this very reason. They have the legal infrastructure baked in, so to speak. In there's one phrase you never want to be on the wrong side of, it's "The way the law is written..." In today's Slashdot article on "honions" the Library Freedom Project was touted, and for very good reason. https://yro.slashdot.org/story/16/07/08/2034209/researchers-discover-over-10... So go to your local library's board meeting and tout Tor exits!
On 07/06/2016 01:01 PM, grarpamp wrote:
https://boingboing.net/2016/07/01/researchers-find-over-100-spyi.html "Many people fear that running an exit node will put them in police crosshairs if it gets used in the commission of a crime. For the record, Boing Boing runs a very high-capacity exit node, and though we've received multiple contacts from US law enforcement, we've just explained that this is a Tor node that runs with logging switched off, and thus we have no information that'll be relevant to any investigations, and the officers involved have thanked us and gone away without further trouble." -- BoingBoing
Along those lines, it is possible to incorporate yourself. The default is "Don't talk to cops," but if any individuals have incorporated themselves to provide that helpful corporate legal layer I am unaware of it. In any case, have your legalese in place. Law enforcement agencies would rather not waste resources.
participants (3)
-
grarpamp -
Green Dream -
Kenneth Freeman