Privacy paragon scraps security ideals

Internet start-up SafeWeb has dumped its high ideals about privacy and is out to become a corporate security specialist instead.

The company shut down its free anonymous web surfing service - part-funded by the CIA - to allow users in totalitarian regimes to log on to banned sites without being monitored.

SafeWeb will be focus on security products which enable remote workers to log on to their company extranets without leaving vulnerabilities in the corporate network.

A SafeWeb spokesman defended the move as an attempt to become profitable now that it has achieved the idealistic vision of consumer privacy.

In a statement the company said: "For the time being, we have decided to turn off the free privacy service. In the future, we may re-launch the privacy service on a subscription basis... It has been an honour for all of us at SafeWeb to have been a part of this important issue."