Oddbean

Freedom Friday: The online public square https://m.primal.net/IYnQ.mov The internet promised to bring people and ideas together from all over the world in an open digital environment. However, the applications we use to access the web, such as search, marketplaces, streaming services, news, and social media, have been built on platforms that are owned and controlled by centralised entities. As the platforms have grown and gained importance in day to day life, so does their power and influence. Like the nobility of old, these unelected rulers have an enormous influence over what we can see and do online. The root of the problem with the conventional internet is all the trust that’s required to make it work. Platforms and servers must be trusted not to change anything you send, not to delete, to convey what you share to those who want to see it, and to show you what you want to see, but the history of the internet is full of breaches of this trust. Algorithms filter everything and show content that is profitable for the platform, keeping you addicted to what triggers your attention. The platforms are prone to censorship, as an operating company they can’t afford to display content objectional to any government or group capable of wielding influence. Everything is a rental, you don’t own your data, your digital identity is a rental. Data silos force you to stay, using the inconvenience of moving to force you to pay. Introducing the verifiable web. By using private/public key cryptography you can create an identity permissionlessly to verify everything you send by signing it with your private key. This signature can be verified by anyone with your public key. Thus removing the need for information to be conveyed by a trusted party. The job of relaying information and collecting and displaying content can be done by any server or client application. Your data is not the property of a company, its like a real world reputation, it goes with you wherever you go. Having an open identity allows the development of a social graph, which builds a web of trust. What problem is the social graph solving? The answer is many, in many different ways and forms. It can be used as a defense mechanism against impersonation, as a way to prevent DoS attacks, to facilitate social discovery and connections, and to calculate more accurate ratings and reviews. When you have an open, public social graph and the ability to filter spam, the incentives change to the point where the advertising industry gets fixed. Yes, advertising will still be a thing, but you won't be forced to watch ads because you can't be captured. Companies that optimize for attention will be disrupted by those that optimize for value. The spirit of building the world you want to see is what inspired us to create Mutiny Brewing. So come and join us. If you have an Android we recommend downloading the app Amethyst and if you have apple we recommend the app Damus, both aps are social media clients, we hope to explore other stuff apps in future installments. Both apps can be found in the app store or you can get them directly from the zap store, an app store built using the web of trust model (more on this later). https://cdn.zap.store/f22d1bc0c4e27032ce9e9e1761a35f9b80ae9c47ac6923c7612033e9805acfb8.apk If you are in Townsville, we will give a bottle of kombucha to the first 20 Townsville residents to reach out to us here. And remember to write down your private key and keep it safe, because there is no way to reset your password. If you lose it its gone forever. #nostr #weboftrust #fediverse #Kombucha #Townsville #AUStrich