The Tor Project, the organization behind the Tor Browser that anonymizes the users’ identity, has announced that it begins accepting donations in Bitcoin(BTC)trade.
The nonprofit organization announced that it will be using Bitcoin’s Lightning Network for the donations. Lightning Network is a “layer 2” protocol, which can operate over any cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin. The protocol is used to speed up the payment process and help in scalability of the system.
The announcement was made via the Tor Project’s official Twitter account.
Perhaps the reason Tor suggests BottlePay for BTC donations is that it allows users to easily find the Tor Project and does not require users to copy-paste the addresses in order to send the digital currency donation; hence, making the process swifter and more efficient for its users.
Interestingly, the service also accepts donations through tweets. Users can write an amount and tweet to the Tor Project for donation. BottlePay additionally allows its users to alter between 15+ fiat currencies such as USD, Euro, Swiss franc, Australian dollars, pound, Brazilian reals and more, and convert their desired amount into Bitcoin directly.
The Tor Project is largely funded by various departments of the U.S. government. The nature of the Tor Network can make one wonder why the U.S. government is investing at all in the project. But as history shows, the network was originally created by the government itself, via the U.S. military: the Office of Naval Research (ONR) and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). Hence, it is not shocking that the government is one of its major facilitators.
The government’s involvement does not mean that the network is not used for sinister purposes. Tor provides its users with anonymity that is not found on other web browsing platforms. It has pretty much become a gateway to the dark web (in which crypto is mainly used), opening an unlawful and unregulated world.
However, the network is not just used to sell drugs or for other unlawful activities; it has become a supporter of humanitarian causes across the globe. Whistleblowers and people living under oppressive regimes are known to use the Tor Network to communicate, plan and organize.
Anonymous Cryptocurrency Users Can Chip In
It’s the people and users who keep the Tor Network alive. Without the people who act as “nodes,” the network will go offline. Not only that, but half of Tor’s funding is now coming from the private sector. The private sector is ready to invest millions in the project, as shown by millions worth of investments made last year in the network.
Now with the possibility to contribute in Bitcoin, it will be even easier for users to donate to the Tor Project, perhaps in the most befitting manner – anonymous donation for an anonymous web browsing.
