Re: Filtering traffic from your node - for exit points

[Dave Page <grimoire@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Mon, Sep 10, 2007 at 05:54:42PM -0700, Torified User wrote:
> Dave Page <grimoire@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> > Bear in mind that there are juristictions where, as soon as you
> > begin to filter content, you become liable for all the false
> > negatives.

> Then again there are jurisdictions (EU) where we will have to start
> logging everything that originates from our servers. The whole point
> is that in this way we can at least try to limit the illegal stuff
> that passes through our nodes.

There's a huge difference between logging and making yourself liable for
"illegal" content.

> We cannot stop all of it - that's clear to anyone who is able to walk
> upright, but we can at least make it a nuisance for the sickos out
> there to find an unfiltered exit node - and hope they get bored enough
> to leave and find a new playground.

Given what's at stake, the "sickos" viewing this "illegal" and "immoral"
material are likely to suffer a little inconvenience - after all,
they're already using Tor.

Meanwhile, you're providing the same inconvenience to "legitimate"
viewers of "legal" and "moral" content, who may be less technically
adept, encouraging them to avoid Tor and risk prosecution for their
"legitimate" activities in their "oppressive" countries.

> If it is in common agreement that tor should not filter, then I'm
> afraid I'd prefer not to run tor at all :(

I don't think it's right for Tor to break other people's connections, or
to behave differently. We've had issues in the past discussed on this
list where people have been running Tor exits using alternate DNS
networks, or on ISPs which redirect NXDOMAINs to holding pages.

As others have mentioned, if it were possible for your Tor node to
advertise what it was blocking, so users' connections could
automatically route around your exit node if they're going to somewhere
your filter deems inappropriate, it'd be less of a concern for the
network overall.

However, you'd then have the problem that the exit nodes whose operators
choose not to attempt to filter "illegal" content will end up routing
proportionally more traffic, which makes balancing the network harder.

Dave
-- 
Dave Page <grimoire@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Jabber: grimoire@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx