Twitter launches Tor version focused on security and privacy

Twitter has launched a new version of its service on the Tor network, which will help offer users a more private experience and bypass the censorship imposed by Russia. The announcement of the new version comes just a few days after Russia blocked popular social media sites like Twitter and Facebook. The core reason behind restricting access to Twitter was to prevent the spread of false information and control over what info is being seen by domestic audiences about Ukraine's invasion.

Software engineer Alec Muffett, who works with companies to create onion sites, announced on Twitter that the platform has now been added Tor network to its list of supported browsers. So, those who are based in Russia can use the Tor anonymity network to access the micro-blogging site.

"I'm delighted to have assisted Twitter engineers in their adoption of Onion services and Onion networking providing greater privacy, integrity, trust, & unblockability for people all around the world who use Twitter to communicate," Muffett said.

"Making our service more accessible is an ongoing priority for us," a Twitter spokesperson told Motherboard, saying that Twitter's "supported browsers" page now includes a link to the Tor onion service.

In case you are unaware, Tor's network actually encrypts and routes the internet traffic of users through various serves to hide their identity. The network, which is also sometimes called "dark web," is being used by several platforms to offer a more secure experience as the Tor servers are undetectable on search engines. Sites like the New York Times and BBC already have Tor-specific versions.

Notably, Twitter's ordinary site was already accessible via Tor, but the new version is said to be more secure with more layers of protection. One can simply visit "https://twitter3e4tixl4xyajtrzo62zg5vztmjuricljdp2c5kshju4avyoid.onion" (without commas) to use Tor-specific version of Twitter.

"It's a commitment from the platform to dealing with people who use Tor in an equitable fashion. Setting up an onion address is a practical step which demonstrates that the platform is providing explicitly for the needs of people who use Tor," Muffett told The Verge.