Google Doesn't Want You to Search
(honest-broker.com)
Almost everything in the digital world is turning into its opposite.
Almost everything in the digital world is turning into its opposite.
Learning happens in environments optimized for understanding, not winning
(joanwestenberg.com)
The Internet promised us a renaissance of discourse. Armed with instant access to all human knowledge and the ability to connect with brilliant minds worldwide, we imagined our online debates would elevate human understanding to unprecedented heights.
The Internet promised us a renaissance of discourse. Armed with instant access to all human knowledge and the ability to connect with brilliant minds worldwide, we imagined our online debates would elevate human understanding to unprecedented heights.
IPv6 Is Hard
(jenslink.net)
Yesterday I read this toot (German) over on mastodon which starts with “IPv6 is hard.”
Yesterday I read this toot (German) over on mastodon which starts with “IPv6 is hard.”
Google's Piracy Purge: 3.5B DMCA Takedown Notices in a Year
(torrentfreak.com)
Google has completed the busiest twelve months ever on the DMCA takedown front. The popular search engine processed a record-breaking 3.5 billion takedown requests during the year. Ironically, this milestone is in part a byproduct of ongoing anti-piracy measures, including site blocking and search engine removals, with no end in sight.
Google has completed the busiest twelve months ever on the DMCA takedown front. The popular search engine processed a record-breaking 3.5 billion takedown requests during the year. Ironically, this milestone is in part a byproduct of ongoing anti-piracy measures, including site blocking and search engine removals, with no end in sight.
The Death of the Web (2024)
(garry.net)
When I was in school, in the mid 90s, I got on the internet for the first time.
When I was in school, in the mid 90s, I got on the internet for the first time.
Ask HN: Who else is tired of these web things?
(ycombinator.com)
The web has become borderline intolerable, and these things are among the reasons why. I've developed a "zero tolerance" habit. If a website throws up a surprise popup, I just immediately close the page and never go back. The only way to win is not to play.
The web has become borderline intolerable, and these things are among the reasons why. I've developed a "zero tolerance" habit. If a website throws up a surprise popup, I just immediately close the page and never go back. The only way to win is not to play.
Federal data is disappearing. On Thursday, meet the teams working to rescue it
(muckrock.com)
Since the start of the new Trump administration, hundreds of federal data sets and government websites have gone offline without warning, sometimes returning with major changes and sometimes not returning at all.
Since the start of the new Trump administration, hundreds of federal data sets and government websites have gone offline without warning, sometimes returning with major changes and sometimes not returning at all.
Trust, 2-Party Relays, and QUIC
(obscura.net)
2-Party Relays largely resolve the trust and privacy problem inherent in existing consumer VPNs QUIC-based VPN protocols blend in with HTTP/3 traffic, bypassing network filters while avoiding the TCP-over-TCP slowdown We built a new VPN named Obscura based on these two insights, partnering with Mullvad as our exit hop
2-Party Relays largely resolve the trust and privacy problem inherent in existing consumer VPNs QUIC-based VPN protocols blend in with HTTP/3 traffic, bypassing network filters while avoiding the TCP-over-TCP slowdown We built a new VPN named Obscura based on these two insights, partnering with Mullvad as our exit hop
Enterprise Is Dead
(cra.mr)
The scale of the internet has grown immensely, well, ever since it existed. Even a decade ago however, the entire Enterprise software industry seemed to be overly focused on only a handful of the biggest companies in the world.
The scale of the internet has grown immensely, well, ever since it existed. Even a decade ago however, the entire Enterprise software industry seemed to be overly focused on only a handful of the biggest companies in the world.
There's 456,976 4-Letter .com domains, and they're all gone
(brandboxd.com)
Back in December 2013, a company called WhoAPI Inc. ran a very time consuming automated search for all possible remaining 4-letter .com domain names out of a total 456,976 potential names*.
Back in December 2013, a company called WhoAPI Inc. ran a very time consuming automated search for all possible remaining 4-letter .com domain names out of a total 456,976 potential names*.
Evolution of Whois Protocol to RDAP (2019)
(icann.org)
The Registration Data Access Protocol, known as RDAP, was created by the technical community in the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) as an eventual replacement for the WHOIS protocol.
The Registration Data Access Protocol, known as RDAP, was created by the technical community in the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) as an eventual replacement for the WHOIS protocol.
Who Does That Server Serve? (2010)
(gnu.org)
On the Internet, proprietary software isn't the only way to lose your computing freedom. Service as a Software Substitute, or SaaSS, is another way to give someone else power over your computing.
On the Internet, proprietary software isn't the only way to lose your computing freedom. Service as a Software Substitute, or SaaSS, is another way to give someone else power over your computing.
Rep. Zoe Lofgren Introduces Act to Block Sites Infringing on U.S. Copyrights
(deadline.com)
U.S. Rep. Zoe Lofgren (Dem-CA) has introduced H.R. 791, the Foreign Anti-Digital Piracy Act (or FADPA), to prevent foreign-run piracy sites from exploiting loopholes in U.S. law.
U.S. Rep. Zoe Lofgren (Dem-CA) has introduced H.R. 791, the Foreign Anti-Digital Piracy Act (or FADPA), to prevent foreign-run piracy sites from exploiting loopholes in U.S. law.
Ten Years as a Free, Open, and Automated Certificate Authority
(fosdem.org)
People deserve a secure and privacy-respecting Internet. Ubiquitous HTTPS is an essential part of delivering on that vision. To that end, our public benefit certificate authority has been issuing TLS certificates free of cost in a reliable, automated, and trustworthy manner for ten years. We went from issuing our first certificate in 2015 to servicing over 500,000,000 websites in 2025, and we’ve got big plans for the future.
People deserve a secure and privacy-respecting Internet. Ubiquitous HTTPS is an essential part of delivering on that vision. To that end, our public benefit certificate authority has been issuing TLS certificates free of cost in a reliable, automated, and trustworthy manner for ten years. We went from issuing our first certificate in 2015 to servicing over 500,000,000 websites in 2025, and we’ve got big plans for the future.
.free, .hot, .spot domains to arrive as Amazon reveals gTLD launches
(domainincite.com)
Amazon Registry has revealed launch dates for three of its long-dormant gTLDs, and they have the potential to be the most popular of its patchy portfolio.
Amazon Registry has revealed launch dates for three of its long-dormant gTLDs, and they have the potential to be the most popular of its patchy portfolio.
New Bill Aims to Block Pirate Sites in the U.S.
(torrentfreak.com)
Pirate site blocking orders are a step closer to becoming reality in the United States after Rep. Zoe Lofgren introduced the Foreign Anti-Digital Piracy Act earlier today.
Pirate site blocking orders are a step closer to becoming reality in the United States after Rep. Zoe Lofgren introduced the Foreign Anti-Digital Piracy Act earlier today.
Democrat teams up with movie industry to propose website-blocking law
(arstechnica.com)
US Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) today proposed a law that would let copyright owners obtain court orders requiring Internet service providers to block access to foreign piracy websites.
US Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) today proposed a law that would let copyright owners obtain court orders requiring Internet service providers to block access to foreign piracy websites.
Is This How Reddit Ends?
(theatlantic.com)
The internet is growing more hostile to humans. Google results are stuffed with search-optimized spam, unhelpful advertisements, and AI slop. Amazon has become littered with undifferentiated junk. The state of social media, meanwhile—fractured, disorienting, and prone to boosting all manner of misinformation—can be succinctly described as a cesspool.
The internet is growing more hostile to humans. Google results are stuffed with search-optimized spam, unhelpful advertisements, and AI slop. Amazon has become littered with undifferentiated junk. The state of social media, meanwhile—fractured, disorienting, and prone to boosting all manner of misinformation—can be succinctly described as a cesspool.
Comcast is rolling out 'ultra-low lag' tech that could fix the internet
(theverge.com)
Comcast is officially starting to roll out the “pioneering new, ultra-low lag connectivity experience” to cities including Atlanta, Chicago, Colorado Springs, Philadelphia, Rockville (in Maryland), and San Francisco.
Comcast is officially starting to roll out the “pioneering new, ultra-low lag connectivity experience” to cities including Atlanta, Chicago, Colorado Springs, Philadelphia, Rockville (in Maryland), and San Francisco.
The seven people who hold the keys to worldwide internet security (2014)
(theguardian.com)
It sounds like the stuff of science fiction: seven keys, held by individuals from all over the world, that together control security at the core of the web. The reality is rather closer to The Office than The Matrix
It sounds like the stuff of science fiction: seven keys, held by individuals from all over the world, that together control security at the core of the web. The reality is rather closer to The Office than The Matrix
PhysicsForums and the Dead Internet Theory
(hallofdreams.org)
An exposé no one will read, about the widespread falsification of user posts in PhysicsForums, a scientific community founded in 2001. This is a microcosm of the death of the human-written Internet.
An exposé no one will read, about the widespread falsification of user posts in PhysicsForums, a scientific community founded in 2001. This is a microcosm of the death of the human-written Internet.
Ask HN: Has everyone just given up on blocking bots?
(ycombinator.com)
Bots account for just a ridiculous amount of web traffic, tying up resources and bandwidth, and the go to response to this is...basically nothing.
Bots account for just a ridiculous amount of web traffic, tying up resources and bandwidth, and the go to response to this is...basically nothing.
The online porn free-for-all is coming to an end
(theatlantic.com)
Three decades into the internet era, the Supreme Court finally appears ready to uphold age-verification laws.
Three decades into the internet era, the Supreme Court finally appears ready to uphold age-verification laws.
Google Fiber is coming to Las Vegas
(googleblog.com)
Network construction is officially underway in Las Vegas!
Network construction is officially underway in Las Vegas!
Google Is Now the East India Company of the Internet
(honest-broker.com)
Can you imagine a company so powerful that it controls half of the world’s trade?
Can you imagine a company so powerful that it controls half of the world’s trade?
Usenet is a worldwide distributed electronic bulletin board system
(smfr.org)
Usenet is a worldwide distributed electronic bulletin board system.
Usenet is a worldwide distributed electronic bulletin board system.
Google Is Now the East India Company of the Internet
(honest-broker.com)
Can you imagine a company so powerful that it controls half of the world’s trade?
Can you imagine a company so powerful that it controls half of the world’s trade?
Ask HN: Websites / Apps that aren't a waste of time?
(ycombinator.com)
With X, formerly Twitter, going the way it has, I find myself lacking spaces on the internet to scroll and learn things at the same time (besides this one.)
With X, formerly Twitter, going the way it has, I find myself lacking spaces on the internet to scroll and learn things at the same time (besides this one.)