For over a decade, Tor Browser has been held up as the gold standard of online anonymity. Built on the principles of privacy, resistance to surveillance, and open-source transparency, it became the go-to solution for journalists, whistleblowers, activists and everyday users looking to mask their digital footprint from corporations, ISPs, and government entities.
But here’s the uncomfortable truth in 2025:
Tor is not what it used to be.
As someone who’s lived in the privacy space, used Tor extensively, and publicly recommended it over the years, this isn’t easy to say. I’ve praised its mission, defended its flaws, and pointed countless users toward it as a safe harbor in an increasingly surveilled internet. But today, I can no longer offer that same blanket endorsement in good conscience.
So what changed?
Let’s break down what’s really going on with Tor right now and why its current state might be putting your digital privacy at risk.
The Broken Promise of Tor’s Security Levels
One of Tor’s most advertised features is its Security Level Slider. It is a tiered protection system offering “Standard,” “Safer,” and “Safest” modes. According to the Tor Browser interface:
- Standard: Everything works, including JavaScript and media.
- Safer: Disables JavaScript on non-HTTPS sites and blocks some media.
- Safest: Disables JavaScript entirely, blocks all media and scripts that could expose you.
This sounds great on paper.
But in practice? The most critical layer of this system is quietly broken.
Real-World Test: “Safest” Still Runs JavaScript
In a simple test using browserleaks.com, a well-known browser fingerprinting analysis tool, JavaScript was still enabled even when Tor was set to “Safest.” That’s right: The very scripts the setting was supposed to block were running.
Even more troubling? This isn’t a new bug. It’s a known issue, documented on the Tor Project’s GitLab, sitting unaddressed for over a year. No official fix. No critical warnings. And no mention that users would need to restart the browser for the settings to actually take effect.
Let that sink in:
Tor actively promotes a critical privacy feature that doesn’t work as expected, and it’s been broken for a significant amount of time.
This isn’t just a technical oversight. This is a massive breach of trust.
If This Is Broken, What Else Is?
It’s easy to dismiss issues like this as bugs that’ll eventually be patched. But when a foundational privacy control like the Security Level is misleading users into a false sense of security, it raises far deeper concerns:
- How many users believe they’re safe but are fully exposed?
- How much trust can we place in a tool that doesn’t warn us when protections silently fail?
- What else might be quietly misfiring under the hood?
For a tool that markets itself on absolute privacy, these aren’t small questions. They cut to the core of whether Tor in 2025 is a trustworthy solution, or an outdated relic coasting on its past reputation.
Is This Just Paranoia? Or Something More Systemic?
Some might argue this is a case of overreaction. But if you’ve been in the privacy world long enough, you’ll recognize a pattern:
- An open-source, community-driven project gains traction.
- It receives institutional funding (often from governments).
- Bugs pile up. Transparency fades. Quiet compromises begin.
We saw it with Firefox, and now, the same discomfort is beginning to circle around Tor.
It’s not about being paranoid—it’s about recognizing that trust without accountability is dangerous, especially when it involves tools that millions rely on to protect themselves from surveillance.
Who Funds the Tor Project—and Why It Matters
A crucial part of this discussion lies in one uncomfortable statistic:
In 2021, over 53% of Tor’s funding came from U.S. government sources, including the U.S. State Department.
This isn’t speculation—it comes directly from the Tor Project’s own financial transparency report.
Let’s be clear:
Tor was originally created with support from the U.S. Navy. And while open-source projects often rely on grants, the optics of being funded by the very entities users are trying to avoid are troubling.
Does that mean the project is compromised? Not necessarily.
But does it warrant more transparency, accountability, and user scrutiny? Absolutely.
Is There a Future for Tor?
Despite its recent failures, Tor still has some advantages:
- It’s widely supported by tools like Tails OS.
- It enables access to the .onion network, which remains useful in high-censorship environments.
- There’s no perfect alternative that offers the same level of anonymous routing across three hops with community support.
But even loyal users must now wrestle with a hard truth:
If the tools we use for privacy begin to erode the very protections they promise, we need to stop and reassess—no matter how trusted the brand.
What Are the Alternatives to Tor?
If you’re now rethinking your reliance on Tor, you’re not alone. While there’s no direct drop-in replacement, there are privacy-forward tools that can offer partial protection depending on your use case:
| Tool | Use Case | Strengths |
|---|---|---|
| VPN + Hardened Firefox | General anonymous browsing | More stable, faster, and under user control |
| Mullvad Browser | Alternative privacy browser | Built by Mullvad + Tor devs, no telemetry |
| I2P (Invisible Internet Project) | Anonymous peer-to-peer | Resistant to traffic analysis |
| Tails OS | Fully ephemeral OS | Great for sensitive sessions, though Tor-dependent |
| Whonix | VM-based anonymity | Strong compartmentalization, works with Qubes OS |
But make no mistake: none of these offer a 1:1 replacement for what Tor was meant to provide. That’s why it’s so frustrating to see it falter at this critical time.
Final Thoughts: Should You Still Use Tor in 2025?
That depends on your risk model.
If you’re in a repressive regime or dealing with life-or-death anonymity situations, Tor may still be your only viable option, but you must now use it with extra caution and skepticism.
For the average user just trying to browse privately? It may be time to diversify your tools, audit your setups, and stop placing blind faith in any single platform, especially one showing signs of internal failure.
If you are on the hunt for a privacy browser, you should check out my privacy browser tier list. You will get some credible options.
Join the Conversation
Have you stopped using Tor? Are you exploring other solutions like I2P, Mullvad Browser, or hardened Linux-based setups? What’s your biggest concern with privacy tools right now?
Leave a comment below—your experience might help others find safer ways to browse in 2025.
