Facebook isn’t something you’d normally associate with anonymous browsing. But last week they launched a .onion address for Tor users to access the site.
Users wishing to access Facebook over Tor can do so by visiting https://facebookcorewwwi.onion/ while connected to the Tor network.
The Tor protocol Really Private Browsing: An Unofficial User’s Guide to Tor Really Private Browsing: An Unofficial User’s Guide to Tor Tor provides truly anonymous and untraceable browsing and messaging, as well as access to the so called “Deep Web”. Tor can’t plausibly be broken by any organization on the planet. Read More both anonymizes network traffic and circumvents ISP and local level censorship. It does this by bouncing communications around a geographically distributed network of nodes, with a diverse range of endpoints where the traffic exits the Tor network and enters the standard Internet.
Facebook has made assurances to users that visits over Tor will be safe, with connections secured with strong end-to-end encryption.
According to a tweet by Runa Sandvik, developer with the Tor project, this is the first .onion address with an SSL certificate that has been signed by a major issuing authority.
The launch of the Facebook Tor hidden service also marks the first time a CA has issued a legitimate SSL cert for a .onion address.
— Runa A. Sandvik (@runasand) October 31, 2014
This ensures that users will always be directly connecting to the Facebook data center. It also virtually eliminates the risk of someone intercepting and monitoring traffic in a man-in-the-middle (MITM) attack.
A Break From Tradition
Facebook are known for their insistence on users registering with their real identities and this is widely considered to be a driving factor in the success of Ello Meet Ello: The Hip New Social Network You Need To Know About Meet Ello: The Hip New Social Network You Need To Know About It has been said that when a social network makes a small change, it cause a schism, sending users fleeing elsewhere. They're heading to ello.co. Read More ; an ad-free, privacy-friendly social network that allows anonymous-usage.
They’ve also been known to deactivate the the accounts Banned: What Happens When Facebook Doesn't Like You [Feature] Banned: What Happens When Facebook Doesn't Like You [Feature] When I interviewed Mark S. Zuckerberg, I thought that he was a charming, polite guy. When he talked, he did so with a typically Midwestern drawl. He has raised a large family and has a... Read More of users they suspect to be accessing the site under a fraudulent name; including an Oxford-based IT technician called Dan Q and an Indianapolis bankruptcy lawyer with the unfortunate luck to share a name with Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.
Last month, Facebook had to backtrack on the banning of hundreds of drag performers, all of whom had registered under pseudonyms.
So, why is Facebook seemingly reversing on this particular long-standing policy?
Well, Tor isn’t just used by people looking to buy drugs on The Silk Road. It’s certainly unfair to typify the protocol as a tool solely used to access The Dark Web Journey Into The Hidden Web: A Guide For New Researchers This manual will take you on a tour through the many levels of the deep web: databases and information available in academic journals. Finally, we’ll arrive at the gates of Tor. Read More . For many living in repressive regimes, Tor is used to access an uncensored Internet.
Similarly, social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter were used extensively in the Arab Spring as platforms for organizing and co-ordinating dissent. One of the most iconic photos taken during the ousting of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak was one of a protester holding a sign saying ‘Thank You Facebook’, in Arabic.
#egypt. Egyptian protester holding sign 'thank you facebook' http://yfrog.com/h3g76hj
— Richard Engel (@RichardEngel) February 4, 2011
Facebook is seemingly aware of their social responsibility to those who live in authoritarian regimes. Enabling Tor access formalizes a secure, private way to access Facebook for such people.
How Do I Access Facebook Over Tor?
Not many people know how to use Tor. And yet, it is something that has became increasingly simplified in recent years. This is possibly in response to increased government surveillance of the Internet What Is PRISM? Everything You Need to Know What Is PRISM? Everything You Need to Know The National Security Agency in the US has access to whatever data you're storing with US service providers like Google Microsoft, Yahoo, and Facebook. They're also likely monitoring most of the traffic flowing across the... Read More , in addition to the passage of various Internet-unfriendly policies Internet Censorship In The UK - Why It Won't Work Internet Censorship In The UK - Why It Won't Work David Cameron's Internet filtering plans have started a stir. The contours of his plans are still not clear, but opinions are being formed as the debate rages across the U.K. and the world. I'm completely... Read More and laws.
Setting your computer to access Facebook over Tor can be done in a matter of minutes.
Download The Tor Browser
The Tor-Browser is a variant of Mozilla’s Firefox browser that is pre-configured to access Tor How the Tor Project Can Help You Protect Your Own Online Privacy How the Tor Project Can Help You Protect Your Own Online Privacy Privacy has been a constant issue with virtually all major sites that you visit today, especially those that handle personal information on a regular basis. However, while most security efforts are currently directed towards the... Read More . It is available for OS X, Windows and Linux, and is available in a variety of languages. It comes in a binary form that can run off a USB flash drive without any tweaking, like any portable app How Portable Apps Can Make Your Life Easier & Save Resources How Portable Apps Can Make Your Life Easier & Save Resources If you frequently switch computers and have cloud storage space or USB drives to spare, here's an idea: outsource your applications. Read More .
If you haven’t already, download the Tor-Browser to get browsing with less surveillance and access to Facebook.
Once downloaded, install it and open it. Tor Browser will ask you whether you wish you connect directly to the Tor network, or if you wish to configure bridge or proxy settings. The former will work in most cases, but if you’re not sure, there’s an email address to contact for support.
Connect To The Tor Network
Once you click Connect, it will start to establish a connection to the Tor network. This can take a while.
Once connected, TorBrowser will look like this. Please note, your Tor connection is localized to that browser. Anything else (like a separate web browser or Bittorrent) will be connecting over the standard Internet.
If you want to make double-sure you are connected, click Test Tor Network Settings.
Head To Facebook
In the address bar, type https://facebookcorewwwi.onion/ and hit return.
Tor isn’t necessarily the speediest protocol. Be patient while it loads. When it does so, it should look like the standard Facebook login screen.
Verify You’re At The Official Facebook Tor Page
You can verify you’re securely connected to the Facebook server by clicking the padlock icon to the left of the address bar. If the certificate is verified by DigiCert Inc, you know you’re in the right place.
A Note On Security
To use Facebook, you need to have JavaScript activated.
However, TorBrowser has JavaScript turned off by default, due to the risk of it being used to track your browser across websites Canvas Fingerprinting Will Track You Everywhere You Go. Here's Why You Should Be Worried Canvas Fingerprinting Will Track You Everywhere You Go. Here's Why You Should Be Worried Read More . This form of monitoring is anathema to the purpose of Tor. When leaving Facebook, you are strongly encouraged to turn JavaScript off again, as a matter of routine.
Why This Matters
Facebook is currently banned in China, North Korea, and Iran.
These are countries with checkered human rights records, and endemic censorship of the free press. Whilst it’s easy to dismiss Facebook (and social networking in general) as a frivolity, it remains a relatively unencumbered and free platform for communication. One that Wired magazine (and many others) attribute to the Arab spring uprisings.
This unexpected move by Facebook will ensure the social network continues to be a free, open platform for all, regardless of where they’re living.
If you’ve got any thoughts on this article, I’d love to hear them. Drop me a comment below, and we’ll talk.
Photo Credits: JaysonPhotography / Shutterstock.com
Explore more about: Facebook, Online Security, Surveillance.
Will I get all my friends as my page follower after converting my profile to Facebook Page ??
Will I get my all friends as my page followers after converting my profile to page ?????
Facebook forces me to do a security check every time I sign in on Tor. It looks like it will also ask me to change my passport frequently. Can I avoid these intrusions?
Yesterday , December 28 2016 , I tried to acess my facebook account with Tor. I was blocked right away.
This is horrible. In many Arab countries , pakistan , people can be arrested killed because they dare to voice opinions contrary to their culturas background. In pakistan blasphemy has death penalty. The FB policy that people should use their own names and cannot use anonimisers is culture centric . They just are not aware that is most countries of the world a post can land you in jail or dead. Even in the US posting real names, pictures can lead to harrasement online. As authors have the right to publish under pseudonyms people should have the right to publish in facebook anonimously. I lost an account with dozens of pictures I had taken of my neighborhood, but who cares ?I cannot upload my ID card. With so many hackers today who know where it might land.
I was basically just banned from FB due to this issue..I use an Artist pseudonym. I decided to use this as basically I like to ensure my child is protected. Due to an abusive wife's ex. One thats cost us close to 100,000 dollars in endless, stupid lawsuits in which he works and gains social welfare..I also desire to protect myself from FB and that is my choice. Have been on it since nearly day 1 with the same name, am phone verified. It stated upon log in after this took place that A post or I had been "flagged"..I do post the on the edge of politically correct, but have never included in any of my posts anything I can be duly flagged and then removed for..upon new log in, after stating I had been "Flagged", it then required some form of ID. This I will not provide. I then look at my emails, two emails from FB. First one titled "In response to your query"...It then went on to state I had queried a name change and that my name should be something I use in real life..I DO use my pseudonym in real life..its what I sign on all my artwork and is also a nickname my friends call me..Though the second email suggests my account has been blocked, not due to being flagged, or due to me querying a name change but due to the fact they feel it may represent a business name and can no doubt I assume for a small fee help me arrange a "business" page..I don't earn money from Facebook..So what lie is true? Why did my account actually be banned, was it flagged by a general user because they didn't like my comment somewhere or was it because they feel I am a business..FB has wormed its way into most of our lives, I live rural and am removed from most people by location, FB is one of my only social outlets and has close to ten years worth of pictures and journal like writing and all my artwork plus two other help pages I use to teach others. To loose it, and also every other site I post on by connecting through Facebook is wrong. For FB to do what it has done is wrong. I can say I won't miss it, life goes on beyond Facebook but what they have done is immoral and against everything I stand for..Bye bye Facebook, may you rot in hell...
If you don't use a consistent IP number on Facebook, they will constantly block your account, then ask you to reset your password every time you log in.
When I try to connect it takes me to a checkpoint where I have to identify people or use text message. how can I disable that option.
when i tor connect it take a long time for connect
I am having problems with FB. When I access it from TOR it gives me a javascript problem and asks to reload. In order to fix it I have to allow temporary scripts. Any ideas???
But here's the thing: sign in to Facebook's .onion service using a Tor browser alone and you're fine. But try it using a Tor browser in *conjunction* with, say, a Linux-based distro that spoofs your MAC/IP and blocks the sorts of cookies/scripts etc. which could be used to track *even* a Tor user across the internet, and it's no-go. It just keeps saying you've entered the wrong password.
Why would this be?
Let's get real: Facebook doesn't want to be in a situation where it has users for whom there is no log of info (on its own servers) which could be used to identify them, their location and internet activity. Facebook's whole business model is *based* on extracting this sort of data for marketing purposes. None of which matters if you completely trust Facebook of course.
But if you dont...
What is the point......
The sole purpose of TOR is anonymity, so who on earth is thinking "Oh no! Why is my IP shared with Facebook!? I am okay to share my name, my phone number,my e-mail ,my address, my status, my current location with them, just not my IP!" In case you don't know, use TOR does mean you are completely invisible on the internet.
This is the stupidest thing ever.
The point is there is a difference between anonymity and privacy, Say you live in a country that censors the internet and blocks things like facebook to prevent people getting their message out there.
Tor is not just for hiding on the internet it is also a censorship circumvention measure.
You're the comic book guy from The Simpsons, right? Plus, it's a lot of this you just dont get and I'm not about to explain it for you.
Hi, can you say something about using FB over Tor in the light of the upcoming new FB terms & conditions? I mean, once a picture is uploaded to FB, does it matter how it came there? It can still be used in any commercial way FB pleases right?
How are you?
what is the difirence between using facebook.com and this tor address?
This has point-to-point encryption, and can't be subject to endpoint interception!
What's the point of using Facebook over Tor? When your account is not anonymous.
They'll ask you to submit your phone number or government issued-ID.
n00b
Won't it be a useful tool for hackers ? I mean they can't trace them then , right ?
Probably no more than Tor already is.
I use PIA VPN so this is pretty much useless for someone like me who would rather ALL of their internet activity be anonymous instead of just one site.
Tor can be used along with a VPN for an extra layer of protection. This is actually the recommended practice for situations where anonymity is critical.
There is also a way to access the .onion-site via clearnet: facebookcorewwwi.onion.cab/
But I don't think that would make any sense for your anonymity
Newb here, is that mean when I type facebook.com within TOR Browser, I couldn't get to facebook?
You're supposed to type https://facebookcorewwwi.onion/. But Facebook.com would work either way. You just wouldn't be guaranteed of secure, point-to-point encryption.
This doesn't work for me on ATT iphone 6 using the onion browser, it just loads back to the Tor greeting page.
Weird. I'm not sure what to suggest. Have you tried on Tor Browser?
weird..im not sure what to suggest.have you tried on tor browser../