Tor gets new board in wake of sexual harassment scandal

The Tor Project, the organization behind the Tor browser and other means of using the anonymity service, among other things, is getting a whole new board. Current top executives are stepping down in the wake of a sexual harassment scandal.

Among the new directors are a top woman of the privacy organization Electronic Frontier Foundation and the well-known security expert Bruce Schneier, according to a report from The Tor Project.

However, the organization behind the Tor project does not say why the board of directors is stepping down in its entirety. The American newspaper The New York Times makes the link with the resignation of Jacob Appelbaum, the former public face of the organization. He recently withdrew after persistent complaints of sexual harassment. The newspaper also points out that the old administration did not do enough to combat the negative image Tor acquired because stakeholders link the service to criminal activities and child pornography.

It is unknown whether replacing the board of directors will have major consequences for the policy of the organization. That will become apparent in the coming months. Tor stands for The Onion Router, a way to anonymize internet traffic so that users can go online while maintaining privacy.