[Tox Support] Fwd: Re: Tox data inquiry

ghostlands at autistici.org ghostlands at autistici.org
Mon Feb 8 10:09:57 UTC 2016



-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: [Tox Support] Tox data inquiry
Date: 2016-02-08 09:55
 From: ghostlands at autistici.org
To: Gregory Mullen <greg at grayhatter.com>

With all due respect (which is a lot btw), a "warrant canary" is 
different than a "canary". Canaries in general are useful and can flag 
for just about anything.

Just because even the most comprehensive and vigourous search of Tox 
development resources would reveal no user information, doesn't mean the 
team has not been contacted by intelligence agencies with *other* 
requests or offers that might come replete with an NDL. Requests or 
offers that in no way feature a warrant for searches.

The broader use of the canary device today is an NDL canary. This [non] 
notification "notifies" the public that the project has been served an 
NDL, which may have included anything from a search warrant to a demand 
for that one or more team members insert a backdoor or generally 
compromise integrity. Not that a whole lot could be done about this if 
it happened, but it is some small deterrent to gratuitous use of NDLs 
and a contributor to public awareness of their scale.

gl


On 2016-02-06 17:11, Gregory Mullen wrote:
> The warrant canary was started by one person who didn't really 
> understand
> the point of a warrant canary.
> 
> Once he left the project the canary came down automatically, and no one
> else wanted to put it back up simply because Tox doesn't have any of 
> your
> data. None.
> 
> If someone serves us a warrant, we get to laugh about it because 
> there's
> nothing we could give anyone.
> 
> That was one of the main goals of Tox, to make sure no one could compel
> anyone to give away your data.
> On Feb 6, 2016 2:15 AM, "Dominic Cammarota" <dom.camma at gmail.com> 
> wrote:
> 
>> Hello,
>> 
>> Love the website, and the service is most exceptionally presented and
>> branded. I am to download and begin my experience, and I intent to 
>> share it
>> with many.
>> I noticed this 
>> <https://twitter.com/ProjectTox/status/549238897172299777> on
>> your Twitter account, that PSA regarding the removal of the warrant 
>> canary.
>> It would be most appreciated and encouraging if you can share as to 
>> why the
>> warrant canary was removed? And what is being done with the users data
>> currently and who is interested in it? I hope to learn more as to why 
>> the
>> canary was removed.
>> 
>> Thank you for your time.
>> 
>> - Dom
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> Support mailing list
>> Support at lists.tox.chat
>> https://lists.tox.chat/listinfo/support
>> 
>> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Support mailing list
> Support at lists.tox.chat
> https://lists.tox.chat/listinfo/support



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