Accidental Technologist: The Tor Browser and Intellectual Freedom in the Digital Age

Authors

  • Alison Macrina

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5860/rusq.54n4.17

Abstract

I have wanted to publish a column on privacy as it relates to library technology for a while. While privacy has always been an issue at the forefront of librarians' minds, revelations surrounding the NSA's far-reaching data-collection programs and a seemingly unending string of high-profile breaches at major companies make paying attention to privacy all the more pressing. Having discovered Alison Macrina's work via an appropriately-titled article "Radical Librarianship: How Ninja Librarians are Ensuring Patrons' Electronic Privacy" she was an obvious choice for author. Her work with the Library Freedom Project is vitally important to the future of libraries and recently earned a Knight Foundation grant.

Author Biography

Alison Macrina

Alison Macrina is a librarian, privacy activist, and the founder of the Library Freedom Project, an initiative which aims to make real the promise of intellectual freedom in libraries. She can be contacted via alison@libraryfreedomproject.org or libraryfreedomproject.org.

References

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PEN America, "Chilling Effects: NSA Surveillance Drives U.S. Writers to Self-Censor" (New York: PEN American Center, 2013), www.pen.org/sites/default/files/Chilling%20Effects_PEN%20American.pdf.

"Tor: Overview," Tor Project, accessed February 15, 2015, https://www.torproject.org/about/overview.

Reporters Without Borders, accessed February 15, 2015, https://en.rsf.org/reporters-without-borders-and-25-04-2014,46196.html.

Electronic Frontier Foundation, "Surveillance Self-Defense: Tips, Tools and How-tos for Safer Online Communications," accessed February 15, 2015, https://ssd.eff.org.

Cory Doctorow. "Tor: Network Security for Domestic Abuse Survivors," Boing Boing, May 7, 2014, http://boingboing.net/2014/05/07/tor-network-security-for-dome.html.

Tor Project, "How to Verify Signatures for Packages," accessed February 15, 2015, https://www.torproject.org/docs/verifying-signatures.html.

"HTTPS Everywhere," Electronic Frontier Foundation, accessed February 15, 2015, https://www.eff.org/https-everywhere.

"FAQ," InformAction, accessed February 15, 2015, https://noscript.net/faq#qa1_11.

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RUSQ volume 54, number 4 (Summer 2015)

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Published

2015-06-19

Issue

Vol. 54 No. 4 (2015): Summer

Section

Columns

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