Tor Browser 16.0 is available for desktop and Android and marks the browser’s first stable release based on Firefox ESR 153. The upgrade incorporates a year of Firefox changes and follows an audit of more than 270 issues that might affect Tor users’ privacy or security. Desktop settings have been reorganized with clearer navigation and descriptions; the old General page’s options now sit across several focused pages, and Tor-specific connection and security controls have been rebuilt to match the new design. Risky or fingerprinting-prone options are hidden or flagged, while saved preferences remain intact and searchable. Users can also opt to replace webpage-based window titles with the generic “Tor Browser,” limiting what other software can learn from them; the feature may affect accessibility or customized desktop tools, so feedback is requested.
The desktop manual has been replaced with current support documentation bundled for offline use. Stable releases now support 64-bit ARM Linux, including Raspberry Pis and Linux-running Apple Silicon Macs, while 32-bit x86 Linux support ends. On Android, much of the interface has moved toward Material Design 3 as the team continues adapting Firefox’s newer framework while keeping the app within Google Play’s 100 MB package limit. Further refinements to settings and the Android design are planned. A redesigned circuit display is also in development for Alpha: it will show multi-path connections more clearly and bring circuit information to Android for the first time.
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Reddit plans to test requiring users to log in, starting in select non-US markets in Q4, before deciding whether to expand the change globally. CEO Steve Huffman says logins will improve ad targeting, engagement, and data protection as search referrals decline. (arstechnica.com)
Google’s Custom Search JSON API stopped accepting new customers, and existing users must migrate by January 1, 2027. The guide compares replacement options and explains how to switch to Google Web Search or an Apify Actor that returns search results as JSON. (blog.apify.com)
Reddit will test making its experience primarily available to logged-in users, aiming to improve engagement and ad targeting while limiting AI scraping of its data. Search visitors can still view linked posts, but Reddit warns that declining search traffic could reduce daily users. (axios.com)
Sudo is a browser-based interactive experience that takes visitors through a wooded scene. After walking through the trees, the page shows a blank white screen. (sudo.com)
Cormac McCarthy’s Library site uses Anubis, a proof-of-work challenge designed to make large-scale AI scraping more expensive. The page says its JavaScript challenge failed to load and recommends reloading or disabling certain browser extensions. (cormacmccarthy.lib.utk.edu)
Reddit shares fell after its fourth-quarter sales forecast missed expectations, despite beating third-quarter earnings and revenue estimates. The company plans to test requiring users to log in as Google search referrals decline. (cnbc.com)
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