brooklyn, NYC
Tor Browser
Tor Browser prevents someone watching your connection from knowing what websites you visit. All anyone monitoring your browsing habits can see is that you're using Tor.
ROLE
Solo UX/UI Designer.
Software Engineer (Coded with advisor)
TOOLS USED
Sketch, Figma, Adobe Photoshop, C#, JavaScript
PLATFORM
Tor Browser
YEAR
Jul '21 - Sep '21
RESEARCH LOCATION
New York University
DEPARTMENT
Computer Science
Research Role description
- Improved the user experience of the Tor browser through implementation of several improvements suggested in a previous academic paper written by my advisor.
- Designed alternate improved Hi-Fi mockups using Sketch.
- Currently working on coding the improved designs by editing the original codebase using JavaScript and C#.
- Please feel free to contact me for further details regarding this research.
Project Context
As the research assistant, I was tasked by my advisor to design mockups for improvements that were suggested in my advisor's research paper.
Project Overview
Challenge #1 - Inconvenience
Many users have come to rely on common browser features, such as password managers, bookmarks, history, session tracking, cookies, etc., that make browsing convenient and efficient. The amnesiac property of the Tor Browser forgoes such features in order to provide protection against certain adversaries, especially those that could potentially gain access to the user’s machine. Against other adversaries, however, a lack of these features creates an inconvenience with no benefit. Implementation of some of these features could potentially compromise privacy and security.
UX Solution #1
Modify the security slider settings to allow convenience features at lower anonymity levels.
A reasonable solution is allowing convenience features when the Tor Browser is set for the lowest level of security, i.e., the security slider setting is set to ‘Standard.’ This would allow users to maintain many of the familiar browsing conveniences while still allowing those who require stronger protections to disable the features easily by raising the security level via the slider settings. Since the security slider is currently set to ‘Standard’ by default, an alternative implementation could add another setting level that enables convenience features without affecting the currently implemented settings
UX Solution #1
Explore alternative ways to deliver blocked content
When a resource cannot be reached via the Tor Browser, it may still be possible to access the content through the use of services that archive or cache Internet content. For instance, the Tor Browser could incorporate mechanisms that allow searching for content on Internet archives such as the Wayback Machine and within search engine caches, thus facilitating access to the content without sacrificing anonymity by accessing the blocked content in another browser.
Challenge #2 - Broken Functionality and Latency
Broken Functionality and Latency were the most frequently encountered and the most frustrating for our participants, the causes behind the issues were often unknown or unclear. Participants experienced that the site did not load or function as expected but received no explanatory warnings or errors from the Tor Browser. There are, of course, a number of possible reasons behind broken site functionality within the Tor Browser, such as blocked JavaScript, server time outs, dependencies on plug-ins, Tor traffic blocks, etc. The reasons remain opaque since users merely experience that the site failed to operate as desired.
UX Solution #2 - Inform users about potential causes for broken functionality and latency.
The most straightforward way to address broken functionality is informing users why a Web site does not work with Tor. If the Tor Browser or a browser extension blocks content, users should be able to determine what was blocked and understand why. Furthermore, these explanatory information must avoid jargon and technical detail that non-experts may not follow or understand.
UI for Slow connection explanation
Challenge #3 - Operational Messaging on geolocation
Novices and non-experts lack sophisticated operational understanding of Tor and anonymity compromising mechanisms. As a result, it is important that the UX provide operational transparency and facilitate user learning.
UX solution #3 - Deliver contextually relevant information during user sessions.
Users should be able to visualize the Tor traffic route to identify their exit node and also have the ability to reset the circuit.
