Short for “The Onion Router,” Tor is based on a technique called onion routing. (We trust you’re no criminal, so this shouldn’t matter!) How Does Tor Browser Work? So while Tor is legal for the most part - except in China, where it’s forbidden, and in Venezuela, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Turkey, and Egypt, where it’s restricted - it can be used to perpetrate illegal activity.

Of course, criminals infiltrating the dark web - to exchange information, sell services, or run illegal marketplaces - could theoretically form another user category. military organizations, including the US navy, use Tor. These are issues often faced by journalists and human rights activists working in regions of the world with repressive regimes.

Users trying to avoid being spied on and censored.

This group makes up the majority of users.

Users who want to surf the web privately, without internet service providers (ISPs), advertisers, and businesses mining their data.

There are several main categories of Tor Browser users: Tor Browser - The Basics Who Uses Tor, and Why?

Tor web browser