[tor-relays] Shutdown of my digital ocean guard relay

[Roman Mamedov]

On Fri, 16 Oct 2020 16:20:02 +0100
mick <mbm at rlogin.net> wrote:

> The new ToS says:
> 
> "5.6 As a reward for being early adopters of the Services, some Users
> with older Accounts received free bandwidth promotions contingent on
> their Accounts remaining operative, in good standing, and in compliance
> with this TOS ("Free Bandwidth Accounts"). Free Bandwidth Accounts will
> no longer receive free bandwidth if: (a) such Accounts are transferred
> in ownership to third party; (b) such Free Bandwidth Accounts are used
> in violation of this TOS (including the AUP); or (c) such Free
> Bandwidth Accounts are used in connection with any of the following
> activities: (i) run Torrents for download or Seed Servers, TOR, or
> services that include content of an adult or pornographic nature; (ii)
> resell or otherwise offer as a service such free bandwidth to third
> parties; or (iii) otherwise circumvent or attempt to circumvent the
> intended use of Free Bandwidth Accounts by redistributing the benefits
> of free bandwidth to third parties."
> 
> Several things there tell me that Grandfathered accounts will be
> dropped (or charged heavily) if they continue to run Tor.

I don't see much significant change compared to the 2018 version. But of
course even per ToS from back then, you were forbidden to run Tor during all
this time. So not a bad idea to stop, even if "late" (and still before
getting into any trouble).

> The use of the past tense in "Accounts received free bandwidth".
> The statement that such accounts will "no longer receive free
> bandwidth if:" and then there is an explicit reference to Tor as well as
> references to "offering free bandwidth to third parties" and
> "redistributing the benefits of free bandwidth to third parties".
> 
> That looks like weasel legal wording to allow DO to charge heavily
> because I "offer free bandwidth to others" through Tor.
> 
> All in all it looks as if DO no longer want Tor relays on their
> network.

Generally speaking, no provider "wants" 24x7 heavy bandwidth users in their
network, who are attracted by the cheap unmetered plans and pay the same as
others using two orders of magnitude less. Many will just tolerate them while
it doesn't cause too many problems.

-- 
With respect,
Roman