[tor-talk] New Tool Keeps Censors in the Dark - mentions Tor.

[Joe Btfsplk]

On 8/8/2011 9:34 PM, Jimmy Richardson wrote:
>
> On 8/9/2011 5:44 AM, Joe Btfsplk wrote:
>> Jimmy, though you have some valid points, I think you missed my point 
>> entirely (possibly some other posters').
>>
>
> Actually I do see your point, as I have said, we have different 
> assumptions regarding how censor would react to anti-censorship 
> activities, let's just agree to disagree here. But even under your 
> assumption, I don't see the reason to bash Google here. True, Google 
> could sell you out to governments, but so could any company (for 
> example your ISP). The difference between Google and your average 
> company is: a. Google actually made a stand against censorship, and 
> suffered the retaliation; b. Google is providing computation resources 
> for free. If you want privacy/anonymity, you just need to code 
> encryption routines for the proxy you run on Google's AppEngine, it's 
> no different from the suggestion to run Tor over Telex. And for the 
> free service they provided against censorship, we should be thanking 
> Google (and Telex if it gets built). As far as I can see, Tor is 
> already losing against the censors, I think Tor should welcome some 
> help in fighting against them.
>
I think we're beating a dead horse & maybe talking about 2 diff things.  
I'm not bashing Google - just stating instances of their record.  Yes, 
they provide lots of free services - including email.  But before one 
sends unencrypted email to Gmail & quite a few other "free" providers (& 
also persons replying to email sent thru the "scanning" providers), it'd 
better be info they don't mind * possibly * the entire world knowing.

I just don't think Google is a good choice to count on to protect your 
identity (& stake your freedom on, * if living in a highly repressed 
nation *), even if they do offer valuable services for "free."
I hope other entities will step up to offer the kinds of services you 
mention, for users in repressed nations - if none exist.  Google's & 
some other providers' privacy policies are quite dismal from a privacy 
standpoint.

In the US & some other nations, for now, loosing your freedom isn't an 
issue - unless breaking some laws.  I was speaking about very repressed 
nations, where people can be jailed simply on suspicion.  In THAT kind 
of society, I wouldn't trust Google (OR a lot of others), if offering 
services you refer to.  In the US & other "free" democracies, invasion 
of privacy & failure to protect identity are probably the only drawbacks 
to using Google - & other provider w/ similar privacy policies - for 
services you mention - unless violating laws.