[2018-02-01] Tor connections to BLF will be blocked

I have a TOR Relay and OpenVPN install on a RPi B (w/ 512mb RAM)
Soon to be upgrading to and Orange Pi Zero (quad core, 512mb RAM)

I stream netflix no problem thru my VPN

What I want to do is create an “open wifi” but QoS restrict it down to say 1Mb (mega bit) each way…then use IP Tables to route all traffic from that router thru the TOR network…this way they can browse all they want and anything they do nefarious won’t come back to me…
more or less make it more enticing to jump on an open network and leave my encrypted stuff alone

If people are using TOR to attack/troll the forum…shut em down

No it is a system to hide where you are connecting from. Tor is an acronym for The Onion Router.

I wouldn’t be happy to see it blocked. But at the same time I wouldn’t oppose strongly because I don’t use it here.

[quote=WarHawk-AVG]

+1

If it is a small surgery, but a great cure, go right ahead with it.

They aren’t going to any extent at all. Tor is exactly as easy to use as any other web browser.

Blocking Tor sounds like the least worst option.I have NordVPN but am too lazy to use it most of the time.I have to dissactivate it to visit Banggood.

I love where discussion is going. Lot’s of good tech talk, knowledge, and advice.

(Altruist consideration)
SB, how many instances were there of trolling via TOR? You could be blocking a segment of people who come here for information but aren’t signed up as members - (I lurked for a while before I signed up [not using TOR]). Perhaps it be worthwhile to parse the good from the bad (TOR) general traffic just not to shut people out.

(Business consideration)
Another way to look at it: Yes there is problematic traffic. But, you have ad space, which are click/site traffic dependent (that’s an assumption). How much headache/work hours are you saving for the loss of potential click/traffic revenue?! Therefore, you may want to analyze you overall traffic to find that out.

Anything to keep the trolls under the bridge asleep :smiley:

Cheers David

It's fine with me if BLF blocks Tor, though I will miss the entertainment that some trolls provide.

My experience of trolls from running forums in the past is that they can get around whatever blocks you make. Too much free time on their hands.

If you block one VPN they just use another. Or they post from Starbucks or whatever. They get entertainment from the idea that they are ‘pissing you off’ and making you take futile steps to block them.

Best to just ban & ignore. Don’t give them the satisfaction of knowing they are annoying you and eventually they will go away.

I would say block it for the sake of stopping trolls keep coming back.

Pretty much all other forums I am using do not allow new user registration or forum use from tor networks. It is the new way of dealing with adverse elements.

Hi Tender,

Countless instances of trolling, and literally 100% of them use Tor. (Or maybe it’s 100% of “him”. :stuck_out_tongue: )

This is indeed a valid concern. I’ll try to dig through the logs a bit more. But at least based on anecdotal evidence, I suspect it will be an extremely minor change. I’ve often noticed that the first time a user comes around BLF and registers, they usually don’t use Tor. Then, as they start trolling and/or receive warnings from me, they switch to Tor.

Thanks, you bring up an extremely important point here. I still think that eliminating Tor would be like eliminating the low-hanging fruit. But whatever is decided, the more fundamental issue is what you mentioned here. Some BLF members are still engaging the trolls far too much, which is why they keep coming back. If you just leave them yelling like the crazy fools they are in their own little echo chamber, they'll leave us in peace and go cause trouble elsewhere. Hence these points that I repeat ad nauseam in public and in PMs:

Whatever makes life easier for sb is my choice. While it is true blocking the use of Tor won’t halt all spam or trolling, if it makes it easier for sb to keep BLF clean then that is what he should do. It can be quite a challenge to keep a forum like BLF clean and easy to use for all us normal flashaholics and keep out the riffraff.

Wasn't aware Tor could be blocked. But just googled it, and learned something. Apparently most Tor exit nodes can be blocked, but it's not 100%.

sb can block the use of Tor (or any other browser) before the BLF site even loads.

I don’t like to have an anonimity method blocked, even if I don’t use it. Also, it’s very likely to be ineffective as others have pointed out. So please do it only if you’re really annoyed.

+1