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0 pointstossAfterUsing6y ago0 comments

> Let's not act like the United States was a shining example of freedom and democracy before WWII, either.

Maybe we don't bother mentioning these very obvious historical circumstances.

Instead, we can talk about what technological solutions exist already, or could exist in the near term, which would obviate these institutions of oppression.

I am very interested in tools like Whatsat[0] and Sphinx[1] which protect communications between participants...

but what about my browsing. Do i just need to migrate all my "real" searches to Tor (already pwnt) or Beaker (insufficient, frankly)?

How can we continue to define ourselves as free persons while we exist among these dark patterns?

0 - https://github.com/joostjager/whatsat 1 - https://sphinx.chat/

0 pointstossAfterUsing6y ago0 comments

> Let's not act like the United States was a shining example of freedom and democracy before WWII, either.

Maybe we don't bother mentioning these very obvious historical circumstances.

Instead, we can talk about what technological solutions exist already, or could exist in the near term, which would obviate these institutions of oppression.

I am very interested in tools like Whatsat[0] and Sphinx[1] which protect communications between participants...

but what about my browsing. Do i just need to migrate all my "real" searches to Tor (already pwnt) or Beaker (insufficient, frankly)?

How can we continue to define ourselves as free persons while we exist among these dark patterns?

0 - https://github.com/joostjager/whatsat 1 - https://sphinx.chat/

0 comments

5 comments · 2 top-level

maerF0x06y ago· 2 in thread

> migrate all my "real" searches to Tor (already pwnt)

Can you please explain for someone not up to speed on the topic?

wpasc6y ago

Not OP, but Tor uses proxy servers to hide your activity from snoopers as it is routed. Unfortunately, the FBI has seemingly found ways to track down users who used Tor (I think dread pirate Robert's of piratebay is the quintessential example)

tossAfterUsingOP6y ago

https://www.theverge.com/2015/11/11/9719098/fbi-reportedly-p...

claudeganon6y ago· 1 in thread

> Maybe we don't bother mentioning these very obvious historical circumstances. Instead, we can talk about what technological solutions exist already, or could exist in the near term, which would obviate these institutions of oppression.

These have never been solely technical problems, but political, moral, and organizational ones. States can simply make use or development of any technology illegal and bring the full force of its monopoly on violence to bear on those who run afoul of it. That has to be countered outside of just building things.

Ignoring history doesn’t make its lessons irrelevant.

tossAfterUsingOP6y ago

having technologists teaching the lessons to themselves is just jerking off... HN has more potential than that.

for everybody else to learn lessons is a great objective, but doesn't need to be the objective among this crowd.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse