{
  "slug": "tails",
  "category": "desktop-operating-systems",
  "name": "Tails",
  "description": "A portable live operating system that starts from a USB stick, routes all connections through Tor and leaves no trace on the computer unless Persistent Storage is used.",
  "website": "https://tails.net",
  "source": "https://gitlab.tails.net/tails/tails",
  "license": null,
  "platforms": [],
  "jurisdiction": {
    "code": "US",
    "name": "United States",
    "eyes": "Five Eyes",
    "eu": false,
    "gdpr": false,
    "cloud_act": "provider"
  },
  "pick": false,
  "pick_reason": null,
  "disclosure": null,
  "grade": "A",
  "score": 100,
  "coverage": 100,
  "summary": "Tails scores 100 out of 100 (grade A) on the desktop operating systems criteria. It meets 4 of 4 criteria: open source, no trackers or telemetry, no ads or data sales and independent audit. It is based in the United States: Five Eyes member; subject to the US CLOUD Act.",
  "url": "https://privacyratings.com/desktop-operating-systems/tails/",
  "markdown": "https://privacyratings.com/desktop-operating-systems/tails/index.md",
  "answers": {
    "open_source": {
      "title": "Open source",
      "weight": 3,
      "answer": "yes",
      "evidence": "https://tails.net/doc/about/license/index.en.html",
      "note": "GPL-3.0 or later."
    },
    "no_trackers": {
      "title": "No trackers or telemetry",
      "weight": 3,
      "answer": "yes",
      "evidence": "https://www.torproject.org/about/privacy_policy/",
      "note": "Tails is made by the Tor Project, whose privacy policy rules out tracking, telemetry and analytics in its applications."
    },
    "no_ads": {
      "title": "No ads or data sales",
      "weight": 2,
      "answer": "yes",
      "evidence": "https://tails.net/about/index.en.html",
      "note": "Funded by donations from individuals and organizations through the Tor Project."
    },
    "independent_audit": {
      "title": "Independent audit",
      "weight": 2,
      "answer": "yes",
      "evidence": "https://tails.net/news/audit_by_ROS_2024/",
      "note": "Radically Open Security audited automatic upgrades and recent changes, and the full report is published."
    },
    "transparency_report": {
      "title": "Transparency report",
      "weight": 2,
      "answer": "n/a",
      "evidence": null,
      "note": "Only applies to hosted services with a website to test."
    },
    "user_notice": {
      "title": "Tells users about requests",
      "weight": 1,
      "answer": "n/a",
      "evidence": null,
      "note": "Only applies to hosted services with a website to test."
    },
    "tls": {
      "title": "TLS configuration",
      "weight": 2,
      "answer": "n/a",
      "evidence": null,
      "note": "Only applies to hosted services with a website to test."
    },
    "security_headers": {
      "title": "Security headers",
      "weight": 1,
      "answer": "n/a",
      "evidence": null,
      "note": "Only applies to hosted services with a website to test."
    },
    "web_standards": {
      "title": "Modern web standards",
      "weight": 1,
      "answer": "n/a",
      "evidence": null,
      "note": "Only applies to hosted services with a website to test."
    }
  },
  "tests": {
    "ssllabs": null,
    "observatory": null,
    "internetnl_web": null,
    "internetnl_mail": null,
    "trackers": [],
    "tested_at": "2026-10-01T07:01:01.905Z"
  },
  "last_modified": "2026-10-01T07:44:20Z"
}