❌ Software Removal | cryptostorm from VPN Providers list #1098

New Issue

jonah · 2019-08-05T05:20:05Z

nitrohorse commented

2019-08-05 05:20:05 +00:00

(Migrated from github.com)

Description

cryptostorm should be removed from the VPN Providers list due to its ties with Douglas Spink as a co-founder.

Sven Taylor of restoreprivacy.com:

Some references:

## Description cryptostorm should be removed from the VPN Providers list due to its ties with [Douglas Spink](https://keybase.io/p_j) as a co-founder. [Sven Taylor of restoreprivacy.com](https://restoreprivacy.com/best-vpn/#comment-48767): ![cryptostorm-rp](https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/1514352/62440656-9eb59100-b740-11e9-99bc-315018d901f8.png) Some references: - [“Douglas Spink ordered returned to United States where he is wanted for animal cruelty”](https://lfpress.com/2016/02/23/douglas-spink-ordered-returned-to-united-states-where-he-is-wanted-for-animal-cruelty/wcm/b7d7feae-2dbb-aba9-47b6-5b3cac0b1788) - [Cryptostorm's response to "What's happened to PJ?"](https://cryptostorm.ch/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=9018#p15857) - [“Man who promotes sex with animals is back in prison”](https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/man-who-promotes-sex-with-animals-is-back-in-prison/) - [Extensive dissertation about zoophilia including a recounting Spink's exploits](https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5653&context=etd)

👍 1

jonah commented

2019-08-06 13:36:10 +00:00

CryptoStorm's response was pretty definitive that Douglas Spink hadn't had access to anything internal since 2015, and it would have been virtually impossible for him to compromise its security beforehand.

gitbugged commented

2019-08-06 19:12:49 +00:00

(Migrated from github.com)

@JonahAragon Agreed. Using this logic we should remove Tor too, since it might be used by criminals.

It should stay unless an actual breach is proven or they are caught snitching like HMA.

@JonahAragon Agreed. Using this logic we should remove Tor too, since it might be used by criminals. It should stay unless an actual breach is proven or they are caught snitching like HMA.

nitrohorse commented

2019-08-07 06:42:23 +00:00

(Migrated from github.com)

Using this logic we should remove Tor too, since it might be used by criminals.

I totally agree Tor shouldn't be removed. There's a difference here though from my perspective. The focus is on one of the co-founders of cryptostorm, not cryptostorm's users.

Taking into account who the founder(s) are is important because it helps readers make more informed decisions about who they're putting their trust in when using software products.

Bizarrely, I can't find any statement or comment where cryptostorm condemns Spink’s actions which include animal abuse. Additionally, cryptostorm arguably has a bigger target on themselves due to ties with Spink. Aren't those two reasons enough to deem them "unsafe to recommend" on PTIO? There are plenty of other providers that I think we could fully endorse in their place.

> Using this logic we should remove Tor too, since it might be used by criminals. I totally agree Tor shouldn't be removed. There's a difference here though from my perspective. The focus is on one of the co-founders of cryptostorm, _not_ cryptostorm's users. Taking into account who the founder(s) are is important because it helps readers make more informed decisions about who they're putting their trust in when using software products. Bizarrely, I can't find any statement or comment where cryptostorm condemns Spink’s actions which include animal abuse. Additionally, cryptostorm arguably has a bigger target on themselves due to ties with Spink. Aren't those two reasons enough to deem them "unsafe to recommend" on PTIO? There are plenty of other providers that I think we could fully endorse in their place.

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