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Comment by sroerick | Hacker News Reader

What about the use case of using Tor in order to expand the network for those that really need to use Tor?

I will take your advice to heed if I'm ever in a truly sensitive situation, but I use Tor out of solidarity. Do you think that's unwise?

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I was referring to using the Tor Browser Bundle or any other client to access the internet over Tor, which has different security implications than running an exit node or relay.

That said, feel free to use it for whatever you want - just be aware of the tradeoffs/risks. You can't just turn on Tor and assume that you're instantly more anonymous and secure - to achieve that, people need to completely change their browsing habits. Surfing the web through Tor without taking extra precautions is essentially saying "I don't trust the web site I'm visiting or any node between it and me, but I will implicitly trust this random group of volunteer exit node operators who have assured me that they have no malicious intent."

in terms of privacy and avoiding everyday tracking of what i read, say, and search for...i actually do trust this random group of mostly volunteer exit node operators more than i trust major internet companies or my ISP...especially where SSL is supported. i live in the united states.

No. I think thats very wise and I've heard it recommended by some smart people. I think the OP is overreacting a bit.

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