We are very fortunate to have some really cool organizations like Proton, Tuta, Mullvad VPN, and others that have been consistently working on providing privacy-focused products and services.
All of this comes at a time when the mainstream services offered by Big Tech have been constantly violating people's rights over their personal data.
Now, in a very unexpected move, two well-known privacy-advocating organizations have teamed up to further the goals of internet freedom and countering global mass surveillance.
Tor Project + Tails: A Collab We Didn't Expect!
The Amnesic Incognito Live System, or Tails for short, has merged with the Tor Project to bring together operations and resources from both sides into a single entity.
In this case, Tails will benefit from the Tor Project's infrastructure and resources to stay focused on their core objective of maintaining and improving Tails OS, while also gaining increased exposure.
You see, this was already in the works since late 2023, when Tails approached the Tor Project with the idea of consolidating their operations as they had maxed out their operational overhead.
So, instead of expanding their operations, Tails chose to merge with another established operation that was larger than them and had an accommodating organizational structure.
If you already didn't know, the Tor Project is behind the world-renowned Tor network. Whereas Tails is behind the amnesic, Debian-based Linux distribution Tails OS, which can be run off a USB drive (and it also utilizes Tor for web browser).
The term “amnesic” here refers to the fact that Tails OS forgets what was done in a session after it's shut down, unless you enable persistent storage, that is.
During the announcement, intrigeri, Team Lead at Tails and the Tor Project, added that:
Running Tails as an independent project for 15 years has been a huge effort, but not for the reasons you might expect. The toughest part wasn't the tech–it was handling critical tasks like fundraising, finances, and HR.
After trying to manage those in different ways, I’m really relieved that Tails is now under the Tor Project’s wing. In a way, it feels like coming home," says intrigeri, Team Lead Tails OS, The Tor Project.
If you ask me, this is a very good decision. Both Tails and the Tor Project have a history of collaborating; this just makes it more efficient for them to do their work, all the while ensuring that neither project goes obsolete.
You can learn more about this merger on the official announcement blog.
💬 Did you see this coming? What other projects do you think should team up? Let me know below!
Here's why you should opt for It's FOSS Plus Membership
- Even the biggest players in the Linux world don't care about desktop Linux users. We do.
- We don't put content behind paywall. Your support keeps it open for everyone. Think of it like 'pay it forward'.
- Don't like ads? With the Plus membership, you get an ad-free reading experience.
- When millions of AI-generated content is being published daily, you read and learn from real human Linux users.
- It costs just $2 a month, less than the cost of your favorite burger.
