UX for Changing User Agents

[cstiens]

Brief: We need an easy way for people to switch user agents because in some cases—The current user agent setting can make browsing the web via tor nearly unusable sometimes. In addition, the requirement of captchas could be wearing people out.

Requirement: People should be warned that by using the Tor Browser user-agent, they may stand out more. In the current default, users look like Safari on iOS. Using the Tor Browser user-agent will expose that they are using Tor.

[cstiens]

If web browsing is un-usable, users will switch to bronze mode
The Bronze level is the user's way to just say 'make it work'. If it's default user agent is Tor Browser, then any user that gets frustrated b/c of usability issues, can switch to that mode and things will work. We already give a warning that browsing at that level could be dangerous. So, potentially we don't need to add an additional warning.

If users are delayed or irritated, but still want to browse at the gold or silver level, they can just switch user agents/avoid captchas
We also need to satisfy the case where someone browsing at gold or silver levels can 'avoid capchtas' or switch user agents. I'm not sure there's a magic bullet for overcoming the usability issue. But, we can provide a checkbox or allow users to customize their security level settings in the security level modal itself. Brave does something similar for their 'blocking' options. I'll pull screenshots.

In the short term, we could add a checkbox as @n8fr8 has suggested. When the user taps on this option, we should give them a warning. Something like — 'This may expose your use of Tor to network monitors.' We should provide two buttons — 'Cancel' and 'Ok'.

Screenshots of Advanced controls in Brave

[m4mb01t4l14n0]

For your final screen designs, the term is CAPTCHA.