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In the summer of 2016, a flood of abuse allegations came out against celebrity Tor developer Jacob Appelbaum, a shocking blow to one of the cryptography world’s most outspoken figures. In a string of testimonials, accusers shared allegations ranging from professional aggression to outright sexual assault. Within days, Appelbaum left the Tor Project. Appelbaum maintained his innocence and was never charged with a crime, but he became persona non grata in most of the industry — a powerful early example of the growing movement to banish sexual harassment and assault from the workplace.
Now, three years later, Appelbaum has resurfaced, as one of his accusers fends off defamation claims. His reappearance fits into a troubling backlash to the…