Oddbean

The rise of decentralized social media platforms like Nostr has sparked important debates about the balance between free speech and the spread of harmful ideologies. Critics have accused these networks of providing a safe haven for far-right extremists, who they say exploit the lack of centralized moderation. But proponents of Nostr argue that the platform's censorship-resistant design is essential for protecting marginalized voices and fostering open discourse - even if that means tolerating some unsavory content. So we want to hear from you, the Nostr community. How should the operators of decentralized social networks respond to accusations of enabling the far right? Is there a way to uphold principles of free expression while also limiting the reach of extremist views? Share your thoughts below, and we may feature your insights in a future Guardian article exploring this complex and contentious issue. #TheGuardian #Nostr #FreeSpeech #Extremism

Ok this is getting really odd 👀👀👀👀 Everyone gather round. nostr:nevent1qqsxgazd0c0hdywh6xn6w7c9sull8tw2lp049ceengrtlceh8rzz4nqpz4mhxue69uhkummnw3ezummcw3ezuer9wchsygx04064wm3xgal6dxhtcmtnm7ts87vcrlj84ykj0fn4cmtjptw5j5psgqqqqqqs73ahg3

Do you consider yourself a Stalinist or Maoist authoritarian dictator? I would love to hear how you edit and twist the truth from the zoom call to fit your brainwashing agenda. Please post a link if he takes you up on the offer.

NIP-05 doesn't prove an account is "legit", nor was it ever meant to. It's not intended as a form of verification and it's a shame clients may imply that it is. Please, see this: https://hedgedoc.semisol.dev/ciXY6QE-Tx6CQZowDwcK4A Or this: nostr:naddr1qvzqqqr4gupzq5455pmtewaacws6a73hxkqkea6fjwcm3keq9vqu3q7930nl4k9aqyghwumn8ghj7mn0wd68ytnvv9hxgtcppemhxue69uhkummn9ekx7mp0qqfxu6tsxq6j66tn94hx7apdwejhy6txpdekay Anyone can buy a domain name, therefore anyone can get a NIP-05 identifier. Just setting up a NIP-05 identifier does not prove an account is "legit". Setting up, specifically, an identity associated with a domain name which is known to be legit may prove it, however, as long as the user actually verifies the domain (rather than relying on the useless and misleading "verified" sign that some clients may display). See, also: nostr:nevent1qvzqqqqqqypzprhy9yxf3vst9xv38zej9arxagsvw4sg7452k570z9yjh7djapyuqqs92h746wgvk95ymf08xf4eph897g64262pen5js7zmwj3r8pz43qcvpfnrj

Free speech means that, yes, an extremist may have the chance to voice their opinions, but at the same time, everyone else has the freedom to respond and engage with them. If such a person were banned by a central authority, they would likely find an alternative platform anyway. The beauty of decentralization lies in the fact that even someone with extreme views, regardless of why they believe them, can be exposed to a reality where people engage with them and challenge their opinions. This approach, rather than silencing them on mainstream social media, avoids deepening their belief that they’re “onto something” just because they’ve been shut down—fueling their conviction that “the truth must be suppressed.”

I see you are probably one of the few moderate voices on nostr. At the Guardian we are proud of our commitment to amplifying marginalized voices. How many passages of mein kampf have you had tattooed on your body? 1. Between 1 and 5 2. Over 5 3. Over 10

Why has your stance on UK/US foreign policy been so piss poor for the last 10+ years and why did you let Assange rot in jail for so long? You should have put the story on page 1 everyday until his release. He’s one of your own ffs. Why were you so set on labelling Corbyn an antisemite? I think the most problematic thing we’re dealing with right now is Cath Viner. Nostr is just a protocol, it doesn’t have an opinion.

Sorry but Nostr isn't a social Network is the internet itself. nostr:nevent1qqsxgazd0c0hdywh6xn6w7c9sull8tw2lp049ceengrtlceh8rzz4nqppemhxue69uhkummn9ekx7mp0qgsvl2l42ahzv3ml56dwh3kh8huhq0ues8ly02fdy7n8t3khyzkaf9grqsqqqqqp6u8up9

One of the core features is that there are no "operators" .. that is the very purpose of decentralised open protocol designs. Filtering to ignore the posts and people and organisations that provide you no information or value is a simple method. Cultivating those that you follow or interact with carefully is a very close second. No level of censorship - which is ultimately what you're talking about - is possible without centralised control. One of your countrymen wrote a novel about that dystopian future scenario which is probably a good primer read. So a question for you: .. on what basis do you decide what is "acceptable"?

The thing about a decentralized uncensorable network that promotes free speech (in #nostr ‘s current unmutable non-deletable form) means that you can’t stop ideas (of any kind) from spreading. You can’t shut down extremism, you can only identify it and see how spread out it is and how big the network of people who follow that ideology is. It’s not about pretending they don’t exist and shutting down their voices, it’s about being aware they exist and thinking what to do about it when you can’t just delete them. In the tv show Mythic Quest they relayed the nazi trolls to a server on their own, as a society, we’ll need to figure out how to tackle it. #freespeech #nostr #censorshipresistance

free speech protects extremist views. if you want censorship, you have several platforms to chose from, at least until the person in power switches to radically oppose your ideology, and then you'll finally appreciate what we have on Nostr.

Questioning one’s right to free speech is in itself an extremist view! So should we censor and ban your freedom of speech? Who decides which views are extremist? Therein lies the problem of your query… you are essentially asking how to maintain an iron fist over human thought and expression. The moment any authority figure decides that one thing can be censored and another thing cannot is the moment that authority figure has become a dictator, stealing away human rights.

If it’s an extreme view, it will be given the appropriate amount of ridicule. An open protocol will provide an equilibrium. It’s not that hard to understand. Unless of coarse you’re pushing an agenda.

Whether this npub is controlled by an entity that is actually affiliated with The Guardian or not, my thoughts remain the same: Censorship-resistant systems aren’t solely about the ability to post freely. They’re about creating a framework where individuals, regardless of their viewpoints, can have ownership of their content and connections, rather than needing to conform to the biases and control of centralized entities. Without a centralized authority to moderate harmful content, users and developers are tasked with a higher degree of personal responsibility. On Nostr, we are free to build and interact within our own chosen networks, filtering out content we find undesirable. This is empowering, as it allows us to engage without needing or demanding heavy-handed moderation. The solution to mitigating the spread of "harmful" ideologies lies in fostering a culture where we hold each other to account. As we freely choose who we interact with and endorse, naturally curated, self-moderated communities can emerge. There’s also an opportunity to educate users on how to configure their filters or encourage developers to build tools that enhance personal control over one’s feed, without compromising free expression. Ultimately, the key lies in encouraging decentralized moderation through individual choice rather than top-down intervention from any centralized authority. https://image.nostr.build/f86203025b84b62837e56b7139bdda94f4d86d74b3aa465f0cedacce505d256d.jpg

"Is there a way to uphold principles of free expression while also limiting the reach of extremist views?" Huh? You don't seem to understand what principles of free expression even means. Here's a hint: nobody cares about a threat to the free expression of milquetoast views.

Social media discovery algorithms allow for companies (and by extension, governments) to exert outsized control on what information users see. History has shown that companies and governments are unworthy of this responsibility. Regardless, nostr is a protocol, not a social media platform. Nostr is a simple communication protocol for verifiably signing and distributing information. This allows for any developer to permissionlessly build solutions that can integrate with other apps and services. Check out zapstore.dev as an example. This app allows Android users to download apps cryptographically signed by respected community members. They also have a feature for people to share lists of apps they find useful.