The Tor Project is merging its operations with Tails, a portable Linux-based operating system dedicated to maintaining user privacy and anonymity.

This merger comes amid rising digital surveillance efforts and regulatory actions aimed at undermining end-to-end encryption, alongside ongoing global concerns about online censorship.

Tails will be integrated into the Tor Project's structure, facilitating easier collaboration, improving sustainability, reducing overhead costs, and expanding training and outreach initiatives to tackle a broader range of digital threats, according to a blog post from Pavel Zoneff, the Tor Project’s PR and communications director.

### A Unified Approach

Founded in 2006, the Tor Project is a nonprofit organization renowned for its development of Tor ("The Onion Router"), a privacy-centric network that anonymizes internet traffic by routing it through multiple servers and encrypting the data. The project also creates browsers compatible with all major operating systems, and it has garnered support from some of the largest tech companies for various privacy-focused initiatives.

On the other hand, Tails features a pre-installed desktop environment and is built on a Debian-based Linux distribution. It is lightweight and can be booted from portable storage devices, such as USB drives, leaving minimal digital traces.

The Tor and Tails open-source projects are not new to one another. Initially released in 2009, Tails, or “The Amnesic Incognito Live System,” connects to the internet through Tor by default. Over the years, Tails has also received support from various third-party organizations and foundations, including funding from the Tor Project itself for developer resources.

Merging the two makes logical sense given their shared commitment to online privacy and anonymity, as well as their interconnected history. This union could significantly benefit those most vulnerable in an increasingly surveilled world, particularly activists, journalists, and others susceptible to online tracking.

Notably, Edward Snowden has praised both platforms, mentioning that he utilized Tails during his whistleblowing efforts against the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) over a decade ago.

The merger was prompted by Tails' outreach to the Tor Project at the end of 2023, indicating that Tails had “outgrown its existing structure.”

“Managing Tails as an independent project for 15 years has been a monumental effort, but not for the reasons you might think,” said Intrigeri, a team lead for Tails OS. “The hardest part wasn’t the technology—it was handling essential tasks like fundraising, finances, and HR. After exploring various management strategies, I’m truly relieved that Tails is now under the Tor Project’s guidance.”

By combining their resources—technology and personnel—the Tor Project believes it will be better positioned to confront the challenges posed by global mass surveillance and censorship threatening a free Internet. This collaboration will widen the Tor Project's focus to cover a broader spectrum of privacy requirements and security scenarios, which will include closer technological alignment and enhanced education, training, and outreach programs.

“By uniting these two organizations, we’re not only simplifying operations for our teams but also ensuring the sustainable development and advancement of these essential tools,” stated Isabela Fernandes, executive director of the Tor Project. “Collaborating enables faster and more efficient teamwork, allowing for the rapid integration of new features between the two tools.”