Tor Project

Tor (The Onion Router) is a globally recognized privacy-focused communication software and network. Originally developed by the United States Naval Research Laboratory in the mid-1990s, its purpose was to protect U.S. intelligence communications online. The concept of 'onion routing' was designed to conceal the identity and location of users by bouncing their communications through a distributed network of relays run by volunteers all over the world.

Today, the network is maintained and developed by The Tor Project, Inc., a 501(c)(3) research-education nonprofit based in the United States. Because it is an open-source project, its 'manufacturing' or development occurs globally, as contributors from virtually every continent assist in writing code, managing relay nodes, and providing localized support. It remains one of the most essential tools for digital privacy, used by journalists, activists, and everyday citizens to bypass censorship and maintain anonymity.