The Tor Project has issued a statement regarding its ongoing relationship with Mullvad following concerns about a political donation made by a co-founder of the company. The organization clarified that it will not terminate its relationship with Mullvad but will establish clear boundaries moving forward.
Members of the Tor community have expressed a desire for clarification on how the collaboration with Mullvad aligns with the Tor Project's mission to promote human rights. The organization has received mixed feedback, with some calling for an end to the partnership and others concerned about the implications of such a decision for Tor's operations and the communities it serves. The decision to continue collaboration was made after a comprehensive due diligence process, which included discussions with community members, staff, and the board, as well as a staff survey and financial analysis.
The Tor Project aims to advance human rights and freedoms by developing privacy and anti-censorship tools that help individuals protect themselves from repression and surveillance. The organization emphasized its commitment to continue this work alongside communities facing threats to their rights.
While the Tor Project supports free speech, it noted that not all forms of speech align with its mission. The organization opposes rhetoric that undermines other human rights and freedoms.
The statement highlighted the under-resourced nature of efforts to promote privacy, free speech, and access to information online, noting that collaboration across organizations is often necessary. The Tor Project acknowledged that such collaborations may require difficult compromises to achieve long-term benefits for affected communities.
The ongoing technical collaboration with Mullvad is intended to support work that is essential for Tor users and contributors. This partnership has contributed to improvements in the structure, maintainability, and auditability of the Tor Browser codebase, as well as expanded user feedback and a safer environment for testing new features. The collaboration also aims to enhance access to online privacy through additional free, open-source tools.
In response to community concerns, the Tor Project has paused proactive co-branding with Mullvad, which includes joint promotional activities. The organization has also revised how the Mullvad Browser is presented on its channels to ensure accurate descriptions of the relationship and to avoid any implications of broader alignment in values.
The Tor Project acknowledged that its decision may not satisfy all community members and that continuing the collaboration may impact trust. The organization expressed gratitude to community members for voicing their concerns and emphasized that these discussions will inform its future direction. The Tor Project remains committed to defending privacy, anonymity, freedom of expression, and access to information while ensuring that its collaborations align with its human rights commitments.
The organization encourages respectful comments and will delete those that violate its Code of Conduct or are deemed off-topic.