Twitter forces Tor users to give up phone number

[Rohith_Kumar_Sp]

To help crack down on nuisance and menacing individuals on Twitter, the social network has enacted a new policy whereby US visitors attempting to set up new accounts via the Tor anonymising browser software will be required to activate a phone number before being able to access it. Setting one up with a typical browser like Chrome or Firefox should be unaffected, but those looking to hide their IPs will need to prove their identity in some manner before being given a chance to tweet anything.
 

This isn’t something that appears to be affecting worldwide users of the site, as this writer didn’t receive any such prompt when setting up a bogus Twitter account using the Tor browser. However, many users have spotted it and TechCrunch too is reporting on its implementation.
 

 

“Ogres are like Tor software Donkey.”

While this move will presumably make it that bit harder for trolls that sign up to multiple accounts, it presumably won’t do much good when it comes to those using VPNs or proxies to access the site. Similarly so, Tor isn’t just a tool used by the nefarious, but by people around the world seeking anonymous protection from government censorship and political groups that may wish to do them harm.

The question is, if Twitter forces users to identify themselves in some manner regardless of how they sign up, how would it react if government or authority groups demand information on those users? Part of the reason the Arab Spring was successful is because people were able to organise on Twitter and other sites without as much fear of being censored or identified by their governments and militaries.

Source : http://www.kitguru.net/channel/jon-martindale/twitter-forces-tor-users-to-give-up-phone-number/

OP : what happens if a person uses Tor on a VPN ? also what about simply use a pay as you go (prepay) phone to register

[SimpleG]

OP : what happens if a person uses Tor on a VPN ? 

I can check, if you want to know

[zappian]

I had to input my cellhpone to use the twitter dev API a while ago.

Interesting.

[Fulgrim]

So, if i want to harass someone with a fake account, i can carry on as per usual, due to not being from the US? ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

[Tedster]

This isn't good.

[Rohith_Kumar_Sp]

I can check, if you want to know

 

do tell, i really wanna know 

[SimpleG]

do tell, i really wanna know 

I kinda didn't read the post correctly, I need to use Tor and vpn (I use hotspot) and sign up for twitter, right?

[Kyuubixchidori]

There are a business. They can do as they want. 

 

Personally if I ran a social media website, I dont want terriost groups such as ISIS using it. thats one way to stop it. losing a few possible users is worth not having terriost associations.

 

they are there to make a profit, not be associated with terrorists or anything of the sort. 

[Rohith_Kumar_Sp]

I kinda didn't read the post correctly, I need to use Tor and vpn (I use hotspot) and sign up for twitter, right?

Tor using a VPN and use twitter on tor ,yeah

[ItsFTP]

Good!
I don't see any good reasons for tor existing.

[SimpleG]

Tor using a VPN and use twitter on tor ,yeah

erm..  nothing I used my location even in hong kong, I could easily log into my other account and signing up didn't ask for phone number

[Rohith_Kumar_Sp]

erm..  nothing I used my location even in hong kong, I could easily log into my other account and signing up didn't ask for phone number

this is recent thought , when was it you were in Hk? also 

This isn’t something that appears to be affecting worldwide users of the site

 

[dfsdfgfkjsefoiqzemnd]

Yay for burners and anonymous prepaid cards

[Technous285]

Good!

I don't see any good reasons for tor existing.

What, no "Don't do any shady shit if you don't want to be tracked!" rhetoric about how want of privacy is "only for terrorists/child molesters"? Not everyone who likes a bit of privacy when using the Internet is breaking some outdated cockamamie bullshit laws, they just want to do something without being tracked by 90-odd companies trying to hock their wares that are useless to the person wanting privacy.

[ItsFTP]

What, no "Don't do any shady shit if you don't want to be tracked!" rhetoric about how want of privacy is "only for terrorists/child molesters"? Not everyone who likes a bit of privacy when using the Internet is breaking some outdated cockamamie bullshit laws, they just want to do something without being tracked by 90-odd companies trying to hock their wares that are useless to the person wanting privacy.

I don't care if the NSA has picture of my penis in every darm employees room. Oh you don't want to be tracked? Why? Don't want your ISP see your traffic to the priatebay or do you think they care about your facebook status?

Unless you're in korea, china or some shit where every website is blocked, there is not much point of hiding yourself.

[Mr.Jackson]

Good!

I don't see any good reasons for tor existing.

Privacy isn't a 'good reason' I assume.

care to elaborate?

 

edit:

I don't care if the NSA has picture of my penis in every darm employees room. Oh you don't want to be tracked? Why? Don't want your ISP see your traffic to the priatebay or do you think they care about your facebook status?

so... you forget other people are alive in other countries? people that do not have the luxury to speak their mind. like you.

 

edit2:

 

Unless you're in korea, china or some shit where every website is blocked, there is not much point of hiding yourself. 

ah, so there is (minimum) one good reason

 

thanks for playing!

[Trik'Stari]

Good!

I don't see any good reasons for tor existing.

Nevermind people in countries where you can get killed for having or expressing the wrong opinion, fuck them, we have to worry more about insecure morons who don't realize that a threat on the internet is about as serious a fly trying to knock down a brick wall.

[dfsdfgfkjsefoiqzemnd]

What, no "Don't do any shady shit if you don't want to be tracked!" rhetoric about how want of privacy is "only for terrorists/child molesters"? Not everyone who likes a bit of privacy when using the Internet is breaking some outdated cockamamie bullshit laws, they just want to do something without being tracked by 90-odd companies trying to hock their wares that are useless to the person wanting privacy.

+1

Also, how do you think all those videos of the uprisings during the Arab spring were transmitted?

How do you think dissidents communicate in countries with oppressive regimes? (like North Korea, Iran, China, the US, Russia, etc)

There are lots of legitimate reasons to use TOR.

[Admiral Naismith]

Good!

I don't see any good reasons for tor existing.

You either don't know the extent of online spying, are being sarcastic, or just don't understand the issue at hand in general.

 

In this day and age, many of us have more 'private' stuff online than we do offline.

 

Lets say I have a prominent position at a major law-firm. I have strong political views though, and most of the people I work with wouldn't be happy with me if I came out about it. Tor would allow me to be able to openly discuss politics on the international forum that is the internet, while minimizing any risk of my co-workers finding out.

 

There are plenty of people who use it for nefarious purposes, but many more who use it for perfectly legit reasons.

 

And of course, there is the whole over-stepping government v.s. activist side of Tor. There are plenty of reasons for its existence.

 

You wouldn't let Wal-mart employees, policemen, and a few odd businessmen and lawyers constantly walk through your house without your permission, right? You lock your door and don't open it unless they have a warrant or welcome them in personally. Whats wrong with doing the same online?

[ItsFTP]

Privacy isn't a 'good reason' I assume.

care to elaborate?

Lets put it another way: What would be the damage to you if someone you didn't know knew you was going to see your gf because you said it on facebook or if your ISP knows you're on youtube.

Point being, even if they are tracking you, who cares? Unless you're hiding something illegal then why should you care that some company knows that, especially when its private and confidential information that will never leave the office.

[ItsFTP]

Privacy isn't a 'good reason' I assume.

care to elaborate?

 

edit:

 

so... you forget other people are alive in other countries? people that do not have the luxury to speak their mind. like you.

 

edit2:

ah, so there is (minimum) one good reason

 

thanks for playing!

edit: you need to reload your page to see other peoples edits like your edits

[Technous285]

How about not wanting to get bombarded with millions of ads for shit like "Game of Thrones - Only on Foxtel!" that break through AdBlock and its ilk when I try to watch something on YT or try to watch a stream on Twitch, and the only reason I'm getting those fucking ads for Foxtel is because I'm an Australian with an Australian ISP (Westnet/iiNet).

[Mr.Jackson]

Lets put it another way: What would be the damage to you if someone you didn't know knew you was going to see your gf because you said it on facebook or if your ISP knows you're on youtube.

Point being, even if they are tracking you, who cares? Unless you're hiding something illegal then why should you care that some company knows that, especially when its private and confidential information that will never leave the office.

I wouldn't/don't mind. but my privacy isn't up for debate. it is the privacy of ALL

I can only speak for myself. You should do the same.

[qwertywarrior]

"US visitors" ...............

 

huh !?!?!

 

how the hell would twitter know where tor users come from