From Parler's CEO. Note how they say they were using physical-compatible infrastructure, that can be fairly easily moved to self hosting.
Now big question: will their ISP censor them too? There's not that many ISPs providing transit.
@pete what would you do to get around an ISP censor?
@untappedgrowth Honestly, if I were trying to run Parler, I don't really know? You'd have to try hosting in another country, and if that wasn't enough, doing something entirely different than a website.
The Bitcoin protocol - as an example - is much more resistant to censorship than websites are. Same with Mastodon, and especially, Scuttlebutt.
@pete I'd like to understand more about this but don't even know where to start or the right questions to ask
What makes scuttlebutt more censorship resistant than a website?
@untappedgrowth Because it can pass data peer to peer. It can even work locally over bluetooth. Any communication mechanism that happens to be able to allow peers to connect to each other is enough. Also, being store and forward, people don't have to be online at the same time.
@pete could a system like that be set up with distributed hosting and do things like this?
https://bitcoinhackers.org/@untappedgrowth/105528488463893488
@untappedgrowth Sure, Scuttlebutt could definitely have that as an add-on. You'd basically be paying for data access.
@pete so what are the limiting factors of advancing the success of these projects besides user adoption? Funding?
@untappedgrowth Funding is one problem. But software engineering is a problem too. Distributed/decentralized systems are just harder to design than ones using standard architectures. Look at how Mastodon works: the actual software stack under the hood leverages tons of existing libraries and other infrastructure. That saves a lot of time and effort.
@pete so how do us non tech guys help? @robingrant
@untappedgrowth @robingrant Honestly I think the easiest way is to create content: actually use the best services we have right now in ways that attract more people.
@pete @robingrant at what point does functionality type discussions on what social media *should* look like fit in?
@untappedgrowth @robingrant The whole time! Technical architect has a lot of influence over UI experience. Doesn't mean everything is possible. But still good to have multiple perspectives.
Indeed, I think part of why Mastodon is federated was a social UX decision. Ironically, moderation is essential to censorship resistance, as spam can be used to censor too.
have you seen examples of these platforms being used to create networks of trust which extent into the physical world?
@robingrant @pete I haven't, seems like the potential is starting to be there though
@untappedgrowth @pete yes, seems like the foundations are forming. I imagine the way that BTC takes over in RW commerce will be through such networks of trust which gradually evolve.
@pete @robingrant 100% agree. IMO it should be like consensual tribes or town squares, each with their own permissions that users can flow between freely or even control which communities can see what from them. Like digital cities, each with clear rules