Hello everyone, This is the report from user support team for the month of October. Note: (↑), (↓) and (-) are indicating if the number of tickets we received for these topics have been increasing, decreasing or have been the same from the previous month respectively. - Summary of updates from user support - General user support - Farsi-speaking user support - Russian-speaking user support - Frontdesk (email user support channel) - Telegram, WhatsApp and Signal user support channels - Topics from the Tor Forum - Highlights from Google Play Store # Summary of updates from user support ## General user support * 464 tickets in total (↓463 as compared to September) * 283 tickets on Email * 148 tickets on Telegram * 16 tickets on Signal * 17 tickets on WhatsApp * With the major Tor Browser 15 update, we received one query about the "Custom" security level showing up on the browser. As noted on the [release blog post][]: > Users who have manually set javascript.options.wasm to "false" while > in the Standard security level will see their security level > represented as "Custom" instead. To mitigate any issues that may arise > with the browser's PDF reader, we encourage those users to switch the > preference back to "true", thereby passing management of Wasm over to > NoScript. [release blog post]: https://blog.torproject.org/new-release-tor-browser-150/ * We also received numerous tickets about Tor VPN beta, with the major topics being: - Users enquiring about [WebTunnel support][] for Tor VPN, which is a work in progress. - [Reports][] of Tor VPN beta downloaded from Aurora Store not working on Android devices without Google Mobile Service. - Some reports of the Tor VPN [app freezing][] when using the toggles in the 'Browser' section within the per-App configuration settings. [WebTunnel support]: https://gitlab.torproject.org/tpo/applications/vpn/-/issues/323 [Reports]: https://gitlab.torproject.org/tpo/applications/vpn/-/issues/395 [app freezing]: https://gitlab.torproject.org/tpo/applications/vpn/-/issues/394 ## Farsi-speaking user support * 34 tickets in total (↓49 as compared to September) * 4 tickets on Email * 30 tickets on Telegram * Last month, we started collecting some more specific feedback from users about how they were accessing Tor. Interestingly, we received a few queries from users using little-t tor (the network daemon) on Linux and even on Android (through the "Termux" terminal emulator on Android). * Some tickets from users testing and trying out the Tor VPN beta app as well. Overall Tor-powered VPN apps (like Orbot and Tor VPN beta) seem much more popular amongst the users as compared to Tor Browser, as internet is highly restricted. * We received some feedback that using Tor with Snowflake pluggable transport is working for users in Iran. ## Russian-speaking user support * 1193 tickets in total (↓852 as compared to September) * 199 tickets on Email * 982 tickets on Telegram * 7 tickets on Signal * 5 tickets on WhatsApp * The significant drop in tickets from Russia can be explained by improvements and new features in the @GetBridgesBot (Telegram). The bot now provides both obfs4 and WebTunnel bridges and allows users to copy bridge lines with a single click or tap, improving usability for mobile users. * Although internet access in Russia is already heavily restricted — with recent measures such as blocking calls on Telegram and WhatsApp — mobile internet is subject to even stricter limitations than home broadband. * [Internet censorship in Russia][] is intensifying: almost every day, we are receiving reports from users about the ‘white list’ or 'allow list' regime - a period of Internet restrictions, especially on mobile devices, when they can only visit websites and use applications from a special approved list, which includes only websites and applications based in Russia. At the moment, users have reported that Tor doesn't work to bypass such 'whitelist' restriction. [Internet censorship in Russia]: https://forum.torproject.org/t/help-find-working-method-to-circumvent-internet-shutdown-method-in-russia/20600 * This month we tested new Snowflake domain fronting in Russia, which worked even with mobile internet. Users noted that the bootstrapping speed was slower when compared to WebTunnel or obfs4 bridges, and internet browsing speed was a bit slower as well, but the overall stability and performance are good. * We received a few tickets from users and testers of Tor VPN beta in Russia. The apps itself works but, with WebTunnel bridges not yet supported in Tor VPN beta, users are unable to use the app on mobile internet. That's it for the summary, following is a more detailed report about the tickets our user support team worked on last month. # Frontdesk (email user support channel) * 535(↓) RT tickets created * 486(↓) RT tickets resolved Tickets by topics and numbers: 1. 260(↓) tickets: instructions to circumvent censorship for Chinese speaking users. 2. 199(↓) tickets: circumventing censorship in Russian speaking countries. 3. 40(↓) tickets: help with troubleshooting existing Tor Browser install on Desktop (Windows, macOS and Linux). 4. 10(↓) tickets: questions, feedback and help with troubleshooting Tor VPN beta. 5. 4(↑) tickets: reports of websites blocking Tor connections or not performing well in Tor Browser. 6. 4(↓) tickets: circumventing censorship with Tor in Farsi. 7. 3(-) tickets: help with troubleshooting existing Tor Browser install on Android. 8. 3(-) tickets: help with instructions to download, install or properly uninstalling Tor Browser. 9. 2(↓) tickets: questions about which Tor app to install on iOS (i.e. Onion Browser or Orbot). 10. 2(-) tickets: question about onion services and how to access them. 11. 2(-) tickets: reports of fake apps on iOS AppStore masquerading as official Tor Browser. 12. 2(↑) tickets: question about installing extensions and add-ons on Tor Browser. 13. 1(↓) ticket: users seeing a "proxy refused" error when visiting websites on Tor Browser for Android using Samsung devices. 14. 1(↓) ticket: question about changes to the Security level settings on latest versions of Tor Browser. The browser prompts a restart when changing the Security Level for changes to properly take effect. 15. 1(-) ticket: instructions to download Tor Browser 13.5 legacy for legacy operating systems. 16. 1(-) ticket: help with installing Tor Browser on Desktop on Linux. 17. 1(↓) ticket: help with instructions to troubleshoot Tails operating system. 18. 1(↑) ticket: question about Tor Browser support on Arm Linux. # Telegram, WhatsApp and Signal user support channels * 1205(↓) tickets resolved Breakdown: * 1160(↓) tickets on Telegram * 23(↑) tickets on Signal * 22(↑) tickets on WhatsApp Tickets by topics and numbers: 1. 994(↓) tickets: circumventing censorship in Russian speaking countries. 2. 49(↓) tickets: instructions to circumvent censorship for Chinese speaking users. 3. 30(↓) tickets: circumventing censorship with Tor in Farsi. 4. 17(↓) tickets: questions, feedback and help with troubleshooting Tor VPN beta. 5. 13(↓) tickets: helping users on iOS, using Onion Browser or Orbot, to use censorship circumvention methods. 6. 7(↑) tickets: [GetBridgesBot freezes][] and stops sending bridges. 7. 6(↑) tickets: instructions to use WebTunnel bridges with Tor Browser. 8. 6(↑) tickets: instructions on how to get Tor Browser binaries from GetTor. 9. 6(↓) tickets: help with troubleshooting Tor Browser Desktop on Windows, macOS and Linux. 10. 5(-) tickets: questions about onion services and how to access them. 11. 4(↓) tickets: help with instructions to troubleshoot Tails operating system. 12. 3(-) tickets: users seeing a "proxy refused" error when visiting websites on Tor Browser for Android using Samsung devices. 13. 2(↓) tickets: help with installing Tor Browser on Desktop on Linux. 14. 2(↓) tickets: help with troubleshooting Tor Browser Android. 15. 2(-) tickets: help with instructions to use bridges with Orbot on Android. 16. 2(-) tickets: instructions to download Tor Browser 13.5 legacy for legacy operating systems. 17. 1(-) ticket: help with instructions to verify Tor Browser GPG signature. 18. 1(↓) ticket: help with using Snowflake with Tor to circumvent censorship. [GetBridgesBot freezes]: https://gitlab.torproject.org/tpo/anti-censorship/rdsys/-/issues/286 # Topics from the Tor Forum * A new home for Tor [user documentation][]. * Snowflake and Conjure inaccessible due to CND77 blockage, [try this workaround][]. [user documentation]: https://forum.torproject.org/t/a-new-home-for-tor-user-documentation/20732 [try this workaround]: https://forum.torproject.org/t/snowflake-and-conjure-inaccessible-due-to-cnd77-blockage-try-this-workaround/20650 # Highlights from Google Play Store * Tor Browser for Android (TBA) had a Google Play rating of 4.4 stars in October, which is the same as compared to in September. * Tor Browser for Android (TBA) got 740 (↑16) new reviews. The total count of reviews for the app stands at 65,769. * Tor Browser for Android Alpha (TBA Alpha) app had a rating of 4.192 (↓0.004) in October which is lower as compared to in September. * In October, Tor Browser for Android Alpha (TBA Alpha) got 22 (↓10) new reviews. The total count of reviews for the app stands at 8,687. * We received a few comments and [reports][] of Tor Browser Android not working properly on certain Samsung and Motorola Android devices. [reports]: https://gitlab.torproject.org/tpo/applications/tor-browser/-/issues/43841 Thanks! -- ebanam
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