Decentralizing Schemes
(tbray.org)
I’m a fan of decentralized social media and that’s partly because I enjoy using it. But mostly because history teaches that decentralization is the best basis for sustainable, resilient online conversation. (Evidence? Email!) For the purpose of this essay, let’s assume that you agree with me. Let’s also assume that our online life is still Web-flavored.
I’m a fan of decentralized social media and that’s partly because I enjoy using it. But mostly because history teaches that decentralization is the best basis for sustainable, resilient online conversation. (Evidence? Email!) For the purpose of this essay, let’s assume that you agree with me. Let’s also assume that our online life is still Web-flavored.
The "De" in "Decentralization" Stands for "Democracy"
(techdirt.com)
There’s a certain dark irony in watching tech billionaires who built their empires on the “democratizing power of technology” now actively working to dismantle democratic institutions.
There’s a certain dark irony in watching tech billionaires who built their empires on the “democratizing power of technology” now actively working to dismantle democratic institutions.
Digital nomads could create network states
(elysian.press)
I think digital nomads are the closest thing we have to a network state, Balaji ‘s concept of a future world of decentralized nation-states.
I think digital nomads are the closest thing we have to a network state, Balaji ‘s concept of a future world of decentralized nation-states.
The "De" in "Decentralization" Stands for "Democracy"
(techdirt.com)
There’s a certain dark irony in watching tech billionaires who built their empires on the “democratizing power of technology” now actively working to dismantle democratic institutions.
There’s a certain dark irony in watching tech billionaires who built their empires on the “democratizing power of technology” now actively working to dismantle democratic institutions.
UK Online Safety Act template for Fediverse instances
(onlinesafetyact.co.uk)
Again, a major change: I am not confident a conclusion that my own, personal, self-hosted, Mastodon instance is out of scope of the OSA.
Again, a major change: I am not confident a conclusion that my own, personal, self-hosted, Mastodon instance is out of scope of the OSA.
Iroh – P2P that just works
(iroh.computer)
Iroh is a library for building on direct connections between devices, putting more control in the hands of your users.
Iroh is a library for building on direct connections between devices, putting more control in the hands of your users.
The Fediverse Isn't the Future. It's the Present We've Been Denied
(joanwestenberg.com)
For years, the internet has been shrinking. Not in size, not in data, but in ownership. A vast, decentralized network of personal blogs, forums, and independent communities has been corralled into a handful of paved prison yards controlled by a few massive corporations. Every post, every “friend,” every creative work—locked behind closed doors, and you don’t have the keys.
For years, the internet has been shrinking. Not in size, not in data, but in ownership. A vast, decentralized network of personal blogs, forums, and independent communities has been corralled into a handful of paved prison yards controlled by a few massive corporations. Every post, every “friend,” every creative work—locked behind closed doors, and you don’t have the keys.
Bluesky: Network topology, polarization, and algorithmic curation
(plos.org)
Bluesky is a novel and decentralized social media site that opened up in an invite-only beta release in February 2023.
Bluesky is a novel and decentralized social media site that opened up in an invite-only beta release in February 2023.
Decentralized Naming and Certificate Authority
(handshake.org)
Handshake is a decentralized, permissionless naming protocol where every peer is validating and in charge of managing the root DNS naming zone with the goal of creating an alternative to existing Certificate Authorities and naming systems.
Handshake is a decentralized, permissionless naming protocol where every peer is validating and in charge of managing the root DNS naming zone with the goal of creating an alternative to existing Certificate Authorities and naming systems.
Tumblr to join the Fediverse after WordPress migration completes
(techcrunch.com)
Since 2022, blogging site Tumblr has been teasing its plans to integrate with the fediverse — the open social web powered by the protocol ActivityPub also used by Mastodon, Threads, Flipboard, and others. Now, the Automattic-owned blogging platform is sharing more information about when and how that integration could actually happen.
Since 2022, blogging site Tumblr has been teasing its plans to integrate with the fediverse — the open social web powered by the protocol ActivityPub also used by Mastodon, Threads, Flipboard, and others. Now, the Automattic-owned blogging platform is sharing more information about when and how that integration could actually happen.
We need network societies, not network states (2024)
(cip.org)
Balaji Srinivasan aspires to be the John Locke of the Digital Age. His book, The Network State (TNS), puts forth a new social contract enabled by “Web3 technology,” centered on blockchains. In a sentence, he defines the network state (NS) as a startup country—“a highly aligned online community with a capacity for collective action that crowdfunds territory around the world and eventually gains diplomatic recognition from pre-existing states.”
Balaji Srinivasan aspires to be the John Locke of the Digital Age. His book, The Network State (TNS), puts forth a new social contract enabled by “Web3 technology,” centered on blockchains. In a sentence, he defines the network state (NS) as a startup country—“a highly aligned online community with a capacity for collective action that crowdfunds territory around the world and eventually gains diplomatic recognition from pre-existing states.”
Push Notifications for Decentralized Services
(unifiedpush.org)
How mobile push notifications currently bring centralization to decentralized services, and how we can avoid it, even for mainstream configurations.
How mobile push notifications currently bring centralization to decentralized services, and how we can avoid it, even for mainstream configurations.
First Look: Loops, by Pixelfed – Decentralised TikTok Competitor (2024)
(wedistribute.org)
Over the past few weeks, Loops has opened up its public beta to early adopters and enthusiasts looking to put the platform through its paces.
Over the past few weeks, Loops has opened up its public beta to early adopters and enthusiasts looking to put the platform through its paces.
Vision of a New World – Design Issues (2024)
(w3.org)
This article envisions a transformative world enabled by the Solid protocol, a decentralized system for personal data storage and sharing.
This article envisions a transformative world enabled by the Solid protocol, a decentralized system for personal data storage and sharing.
Powering your Hugo blog with Bluesky Comments
(kau.sh)
Twitter’s change in ownership triggered a cascade of events birthing various social media clones. It’s been tricky to decide which network to invest time and energy in. I’m not an influencer, but I’d be kidding myself if I thought having a presence on social media wasn’t important.
Twitter’s change in ownership triggered a cascade of events birthing various social media clones. It’s been tricky to decide which network to invest time and energy in. I’m not an influencer, but I’d be kidding myself if I thought having a presence on social media wasn’t important.
Ask HN: Organize local communities without Facebook?
(ycombinator.com)
I want to move our local communities off Facebook and onto our own platform.
I want to move our local communities off Facebook and onto our own platform.
We need to protect the protocol that runs Bluesky
(technologyreview.com)
If we don’t act soon, our online world will continue to be run at the whim of capricious billionaires.
If we don’t act soon, our online world will continue to be run at the whim of capricious billionaires.
ATProto and the ownership of identity
(anirudh.fi)
atproto is very exciting to me as it’s the perfect abstraction between the identity and user data layer, and the application layer. Compare that to the fediverse and some striking differences become apparent.
atproto is very exciting to me as it’s the perfect abstraction between the identity and user data layer, and the application layer. Compare that to the fediverse and some striking differences become apparent.
'Social media should be built on protocols, not platforms' says Mastodon CEO
(techcrunch.com)
“Social media should be built on protocols, not platforms,” Mastodon CEO Eugen Rochko said in an interview for TechCrunch’s Equity podcast. “And people should be able to choose freely between different platforms and also be able to move between them.”
“Social media should be built on protocols, not platforms,” Mastodon CEO Eugen Rochko said in an interview for TechCrunch’s Equity podcast. “And people should be able to choose freely between different platforms and also be able to move between them.”
Billionaire-Proofing the Internet
(pluralistic.net)
Billionaire-proofing the internet: Scolding people for choosing popular services is no way to build a popular movement.
Billionaire-proofing the internet: Scolding people for choosing popular services is no way to build a popular movement.
Mastodon's founder cedes control, refuses to become next Musk or Zuckerberg
(arstechnica.com)
Mastodon announced Monday that it's shifting its structure over the next six months to become wholly owned by a European nonprofit organization—
Mastodon announced Monday that it's shifting its structure over the next six months to become wholly owned by a European nonprofit organization—
Meta admits it deleted links to decentralized Instagram competitor Pixelfed
(engadget.com)
Meta appeared to be blocking links to Pixelfed, a decentralized photo-sharing platform, on Facebook, according to both users on Bluesky and 404 Media.
Meta appeared to be blocking links to Pixelfed, a decentralized photo-sharing platform, on Facebook, according to both users on Bluesky and 404 Media.
An Attmept to Billionaire-proof social media wih Bluesky's protocol
(fortune.com)
Hollywood stars and top technologists want to billionaire-proof social media using Bluesky’s protocol
Hollywood stars and top technologists want to billionaire-proof social media using Bluesky’s protocol
Mastodon's CEO and creator is handing control to a new nonprofit organization
(theverge.com)
Decentralized social network Mastodon has announced plans to transfer its ownership to a new nonprofit entity.
Decentralized social network Mastodon has announced plans to transfer its ownership to a new nonprofit entity.
Defederation from Threads
(hachyderm.io)
Hello Hachyderm! In alignment with our prior posts about inter-instance federation, and Threads in particular, Hachyderm has defederated with Threads due to their changes in moderation policy as of the publication of this post.
Hello Hachyderm! In alignment with our prior posts about inter-instance federation, and Threads in particular, Hachyderm has defederated with Threads due to their changes in moderation policy as of the publication of this post.
Decentralized Syndication – The Missing Internet Protocol
(tautvilas.lt)
The Internet is decentralized by design. It came into being not at once, but in parts. New protocols were added on top of previous ones, with each new protocol extending and improving functionality of the global network. TCP and IP protocols were built in the 1970s, then came SMTP and DNS in the 1980s. 1990s gave us probably the best known HTTP protocol that delivers the visual experience of the web.
The Internet is decentralized by design. It came into being not at once, but in parts. New protocols were added on top of previous ones, with each new protocol extending and improving functionality of the global network. TCP and IP protocols were built in the 1970s, then came SMTP and DNS in the 1980s. 1990s gave us probably the best known HTTP protocol that delivers the visual experience of the web.