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== Allegations of sexual misconduct ==
In March 2015, Appelbaum was suspended from his position at the Tor Project for ten days due to alleged incidents of harassment.<ref>{{cite magazine|last1=Greenberg|first1=Andy|title=Tor Developer Jacob Appelbaum Resigns Amid Sex Abuse Claims|url=https://www.wired.com/2016/06/tor-developer-jacob-appelbaum-resigns-amid-sex-abuse-claims/|magazine=Wired|publisher=Condé Nast|access-date=19 June 2016|date=6 June 2016|archive-date=25 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160625115809/https://www.wired.com/2016/06/tor-developer-jacob-appelbaum-resigns-amid-sex-abuse-claims/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Bernstein-2016-06-10">{{cite web |last1=Bernstein |first1=Joseph |date=10 June 2016 |title=Sources: Tor Project Board Knew Of Allegations Against Jacob Appelbaum For Over A Year |url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/josephbernstein/sources-tor-project-board-knew-about-allegations-against-jac |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160610135925/https://www.buzzfeed.com/josephbernstein/sources-tor-project-board-knew-about-allegations-against-jac |archive-date=10 June 2016 |access-date=19 June 2016 |website=BuzzFeed |publisher=BuzzFeed Inc.}}</ref><ref name="Gierow-2016-06-08">{{cite web |last=Gierow |first=Hauke |date=8 June 2016 |title=Appelbaum wurde bereits 2015 von Tor suspendiert |url=http://www.golem.de/news/missbrauchsvorwuerfe-appelbaum-wurde-bereits-2015-von-tor-suspendiert-1606-121375.html |access-date=19 June 2016 |website=Golem.de |language=de}}</ref>
On 25 May 2016, Appelbaum stepped down from his position at [[The Tor Project, Inc|Tor]];<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://blog.torproject.org/blog/jacob-appelbaum-leaves-tor-project |title=Jacob Appelbaum leaves the Tor Project |date=2 June 2016 |publisher=[[The Tor Project, Inc]] |access-date=4 June 2016 |archive-date=25 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160825185827/https://blog.torproject.org/blog/jacob-appelbaum-leaves-tor-project |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://mic.com/articles/145279/jacob-appelbaum-digital-rights-activist-leaves-tor-amid-sexual-misconduct-allegations |title=Jacob Appelbaum, Digital Rights Activist, Leaves Tor Amid Sexual Misconduct Allegations |work=[[Mic (media company)|Tech.Mic]] |first=Jack IV |last=Smith |date=4 June 2016 |access-date=5 June 2016 |archive-date=27 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210127133128/https://www.mic.com/articles/145279/jacob-appelbaum-digital-rights-activist-leaves-tor-amid-sexual-misconduct-allegations |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Steele-2016-06-04">{{Cite web |url=https://blog.torproject.org/blog/statement |title=Statement |first=Shari |last=Steele |publisher=[[The Tor Project, Inc]] |date=4 June 2016 |access-date=5 June 2016 |archive-date=15 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170815214243/https://blog.torproject.org/blog/statement |url-status=live }}</ref> this was announced on 2 June by the non-profit in a terse statement.<ref name="Two-Line Statement">{{cite web | url=http://news.softpedia.com/news/jacob-appelbaum-leaves-tor-project-over-multiple-sexual-misconduct-accusations-504873.shtml | title=Jacob Appelbaum Leaves Tor Project amid Multiple "Sexual Misconduct" Accusations: Tor Project leadership distances itself from Appelbaum as the "sexual misconduct" accusations gain more ground | publisher=Softpedia | date=5 June 2016 | access-date=1 August 2016 | author=Cimpanu, Catalin | archive-date=5 February 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210205173106/https://news.softpedia.com/news/jacob-appelbaum-leaves-tor-project-over-multiple-sexual-misconduct-accusations-504873.shtml | url-status=live }}</ref> On 4 June, [[Shari Steele]], the executive director of the Tor project, published a much longer statement, noting that although prior allegations of [[sexual abuse]] regarding Appelbaum were consistent with "rumors some of us had been hearing for some time," that "the most recent allegations are much more serious and concrete than anything we had heard previously."<ref name="Farivar-2016-06-05"/><ref name=Beuth>{{cite news | url=http://www.zeit.de/digital/internet/2016-06/tor-projekt-trennt-sich-von-jacob-appelbaum | title=Abuse allegations against Jacob Appelbaum | website=[[Die Zeit]] | date=5 June 2016 | access-date=5 June 2016 | author=Beuth, Patrick | archive-date=5 June 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160605231833/http://www.zeit.de/digital/internet/2016-06/tor-projekt-trennt-sich-von-jacob-appelbaum | url-status=live }}</ref>
Also on 4 June, a website appeared with anonymous accounts of mistreatment by Appelbaum.<ref name="Unwanted Sexual Advances Described">{{cite web | url=https://gizmodo.com/eyewitnesses-recount-tor-developer-jacob-appelbaum-s-un-1781048751 | title=Eyewitnesses Recount Tor Developer Jacob Appelbaum's Unwanted Sexual Advances | website=Gizmodo | date=7 June 2016 | access-date=9 June 2016 | author=Turton, William}}</ref> On 6 June, Appelbaum issued a statement denouncing the allegations as part of a concerted strategy to damage his reputation.<ref name="Guardian Appelbaum denial" /><ref name="Gizmodo Appelbaum denial">{{cite web |last=Turton |first=William |date=6 June 2016 |title=Tor Developer Jacob Appelbaum Resigns, Denies Sexual Assault Claims |url=https://gizmodo.com/tor-developer-jacob-appelbaum-denies-sexual-assualt-acc-1780440997 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160712015112/http://gizmodo.com/tor-developer-jacob-appelbaum-denies-sexual-assualt-acc-1780440997 |archive-date=12 July 2016 |access-date=12 July 2016 |website=Gizmodo}}</ref><ref name="Condé Nast">{{cite web |last1=Farivar |first1=Cyrus |date=6 June 2016 |title=Breaking silence, ex-Tor developer decries "vicious and spurious allegations" |url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2016/06/ex-tor-dev-jacob-appelbaum-denies-criminal-sexual-misconduct-allegations/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160608055635/http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2016/06/ex-tor-dev-jacob-appelbaum-denies-criminal-sexual-misconduct-allegations/ |archive-date=8 June 2016 |access-date=6 June 2016 |website=Ars Technica |publisher=Condé Nast}}</ref> Security engineer Leigh Honeywell came forward on 7 June to publicly relate the website's stories with her relationship with Appelbaum, in which she described Appelbaum ignoring a [[safeword]] and becoming violent.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Larson|first1=Selena|title=Security engineer goes public about Appelbaum: 'I felt afraid and violated'|url=http://www.dailydot.com/politics/jacob-appelbaum-harassment-woman-comes-forward/|website=The Daily Dot|access-date=14 June 2016|date=7 June 2016|archive-date=13 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160613132933/http://www.dailydot.com/politics/jacob-appelbaum-harassment-woman-comes-forward/|url-status=live}}</ref> An anonymously leaked letter that the Tor Project's human resources manager had written to Appelbaum in conjunction with his March 2015 suspension for unprofessional conduct was published on 7 June.<ref name="Bernstein-2016-06-10" /><ref name="Gierow-2016-06-08" /><ref>{{cite web |date=7 June 2016 |title=Jacob Appelbaum Suspension |url=http://www.fearlessblogging.com/post/view/33546 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160612092845/http://www.fearlessblogging.com/post/view/33546 |archive-date=12 June 2016 |access-date=19 June 2016 |website=fearlessblogging.com}}</ref> On 15 June, [[Alison Macrina]] (the director of the [[Library Freedom Project]]) and Isis Lovecruft (a [[Tor (anonymity network)|Tor]] developer) publicly announced that the website's anonymous accounts of sexual abuse, under the pseudonyms of "Sam" and "Forest," respectively, were their own.<ref name="'Sam' and 'Forest' Reveal Identities">{{cite news | url=http://www.dailydot.com/politics/jacob-appelbaum-sexual-assault-alison-macrina/ | title=2 more people publicly allege sexual misconduct by Jacob Appelbaum | work=The Daily Dot | date=15 June 2016 | access-date=15 June 2016 | last1=Cameron | first1=Dell | last2=Larson | first2=Selena | archive-date=16 June 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160616051211/http://www.dailydot.com/politics/jacob-appelbaum-sexual-assault-alison-macrina/ | url-status=live }}</ref>
In response to the allegations, the [[Cult of the Dead Cow]] ejected Appelbaum on 7 June,<ref name="forbes.com">{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/ygrauer/2016/06/10/security-news-you-might-have-missed-twitter-hacks-and-snowden-concerns/#bd981d374c69|title=Security News You Might Have Missed: Twitter Hacks And Snowden Concerns|date=10 June 2016|website=Forbes|last1=Grauer|first1=Yael|access-date=14 June 2016|archive-date=13 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160613114541/http://www.forbes.com/sites/ygrauer/2016/06/10/security-news-you-might-have-missed-twitter-hacks-and-snowden-concerns/#bd981d374c69|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Cult of the Dead Cow ends association with Appelbaum.">{{cite web|url=http://www.heise.de/newsticker/meldung/Nach-Missbrauchsvorwuerfen-Cult-of-the-Dead-Cow-trennt-sich-von-Jacob-Appelbaum-3231479.html|title=Nach Missbrauchsvorwürfen: Cult of the Dead Cow trennt sich von Jacob Appelbaum|date=8 June 2016|website=heise online|language=de|trans-title=After molestation allegations: Cult of the Dead Cow separates from Jacob Appelbaum|last1=Holland|first1=Martin|access-date=14 June 2016|archive-date=14 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160614054056/http://www.heise.de/newsticker/meldung/Nach-Missbrauchsvorwuerfen-Cult-of-the-Dead-Cow-trennt-sich-von-Jacob-Appelbaum-3231479.html|url-status=live}}</ref> and the [[Freedom of the Press Foundation]] removed him from their volunteer technical advisory board on 8 June.<ref name="Freedom of the Press Foundation ends association."/><ref name="gizmodo.com">{{cite web|url=https://gizmodo.com/jacob-appelbaum-has-allegedly-engaged-in-sexual-miscond-1781314215|title=Jacob Appelbaum Has Allegedly Engaged in Sexual Misconduct for Over a Decade|website=Gizmodo|last1=Turton|first1=William|date=8 June 2016|access-date=11 June 2016|archive-date=11 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160611214150/http://gizmodo.com/jacob-appelbaum-has-allegedly-engaged-in-sexual-miscond-1781314215|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Noisebridge]] announced on 10 June that co-founder Appelbaum had triggered their Anti-Harassment policy and is "no longer welcome in our community, either in its physical or online spaces,"<ref name="'Sam' and 'Forest' Reveal Identities"/><ref name="blog.noisebridge.net"/> and on 17 June the [[Chaos Computer Club]] announced that he was not welcome.<ref name="Chaos Computer Club ban."/> On 18 June his status as a [[Debian]] project developer was revoked. On 1 July [[Linux Australia]] barred Appelbaum from future events.<ref name="Appelbaum Barred from Linux Australia">{{cite web | url=http://lists.linux.org.au/pipermail/linux-aus/2016-July/022778.html | title=[Linux-aus] Clarifying our position | publisher=linux.org.au | date=1 July 2017 | access-date=3 July 2016 | author=Blemings, Hugh | archive-date=13 October 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221013134953/http://lists.linux.org.au/pipermail/linux-aus/2016-July/022778.html | url-status=live }}</ref>
On 10 June, a woman whom three witnesses claimed to have seen being abused,<ref name="Unwanted Sexual Advances Described" /> denied the abuse allegations.<ref name="DailyDot Baehring denial">{{cite web |last1=Cameron |first1=Dell |last2=O'Neill |first2=Patrick Howell |title=Woman refutes claims that Jacob Appelbaum sexually harassed her |website=The Daily Dot |date=10 June 2016 |url=http://www.dailydot.com/layer8/jacob-appelbaum-jill-bahring-statement/ |access-date=12 July 2016 |archive-date=15 July 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160715001214/http://www.dailydot.com/layer8/jacob-appelbaum-jill-bahring-statement/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In a statement released by Gizmodo journalist William Turton, she wrote that her experience was distorted and reported without her consent.<ref name="Gizmodo Baehring denial">{{cite web | last=Turton | first=William | title=Jill Bahring: I Was Not Assaulted by Jacob Appelbaum | website=Gizmodo | date=9 June 2016 | url=https://gizmodo.com/jill-bahring-i-was-not-assaulted-by-jacob-appelbaum-1781684838 | access-date=12 July 2016}}</ref> On 17 June 2016, activists, journalists and legal professionals supporting Appelbaum signed a document defending his right to due process, and deploring the story's treatment by social media.<ref name="Die Presse und der Pranger"/><ref name="faz.net"/><ref name="ourresponse.org"/> In June 2016, the façade of the building in which Appelbaum's Berlin apartment is located was defaced in English and German with [[graffiti]] directly referencing the allegations.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Winterbauer|first1=Stefan|title=Jacob Appelbaum und Gina-Lisa Lohfink: Sex als Ware und Waffe im Netz und in den Medien|url=http://meedia.de/2016/06/13/jacob-appelbaum-und-gina-lisa-lohfink-sex-als-ware-und-waffe-im-netz-und-in-den-medien/|website=Meedia|access-date=17 June 2016|date=13 June 2016|language=de|trans-title=Jacob Appelbaum and Gina-Lisa Lohfink: Sex as a commodity and weapon on the net and in the media}}</ref>
In July 2016 the Tor Project announced it had completed a seven-week investigation led by a hired investigator. According to Shari Steele, Tor Project "did everything in our power" to treat Mr. Appelbaum fairly, but "we determined that the allegations against him appear to be true."<ref name=":0">{{cite news
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}}</ref><ref name=":1" /> According to her summary of the investigation, which was not released, "many people inside and outside the Tor Project have reported incidents of being humiliated, intimidated, bullied, and frightened" by Jacob Appelbaum, and that "several experienced unwanted sexually aggressive behavior from him."<ref name=":1" /> Steele made no mention of rape claims published on the anonymous website.<ref name="'Sam' and 'Forest' Reveal Identities" /><ref name="Unwanted Sexual Advances Described" />
In July 2016, ''[[Süddeutsche Zeitung]]'' reported that allegations against Appelbaum had been known in Berlin hacker circles for years. A hacker from Berlin told the newspaper that "I can feel a huge sense of relief that the silence has at last been broke."<ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=June 6, 2016 |title=Famed Berlin hacker linked to Wikileaks fends off rape claim |url=https://www.thelocal.de/20160606/berlin-hacker-linked-to-wikileaks-fends-off-rape-allegations |website=The Local}}</ref> On 11 August 2016, the German weekly ''[[Die Zeit]]'' published a lengthy investigation into the rape charges, including interviews with three people present at the scene of the alleged rape. None of these witnesses corroborated the claims made by the anonymous victim. The article also reports that a second falsely identified victim had demanded that her story be removed from the anonymous website.<ref name="Die Zeit Contradictions-English" /> A change in attitude in the information security community towards calling out known abusers and believing reports of sexual misconduct was partially credited to Appelbaum's precedent.<ref name="Bernstein" />
==Personal life==
Appelbaum is an [[Atheism|atheist]] of [[Jews|Jewish]] background and identifies himself as [[queer]].<ref name="roll2010"/> Politically, he is an [[Anarchism|anarchist]].<ref name="roll2010"/><ref>{{cite web|title=Jacob Appelbaum (Part 1/2) Digital Anti-Repression Workshop - April 26, 2012|website=[[YouTube]]|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=HHoJ9pQ0cn8#at=3323|access-date=28 June 2013|quote=Like, for me, as an atheist, bisexual, Jew, I'm gonna go on, uh - oh and Emma Goldman is one of my great heroes and I really think that anarchism is a fantastic principle by which to fashion a utopian society even if we can't get there.|archive-date=17 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131017175258/https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=HHoJ9pQ0cn8#at=3323|url-status=live}}</ref>
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