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Ask HN: Is it still conceivable to remain an anonymous developer nowadays?

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Re: Ask HN: Is it still conceivable to remain an anonymous developer nowadays?

#11

Post by yieldcrv »

supermatt wrote: post #4

Does "turning into a real business" mean "making money"? If so, how do you expect to anonymously receive funds from the app store (or any other payment service provider). The only way you could remain (externally) anonymous and comply with all the AML/KYC and other legal, corporate and service requirements (including taxation, etc) would be to have a company with a nominee director.

You don't need a nominee director you just need the better jurisdiction. Several US states do not list directors or the names of anyone involved with the company, publicly. Some states don't have that information at all.

Re: Ask HN: Is it still conceivable to remain an anonymous developer nowadays?

#12

Post by yieldcrv »

spoonjim wrote: post #7

There are three levels of anonymity: anonymity to the general public, to Apple, and to a state-level actor. Anonymity to the general public is very easy, incorporate a company behind some of the shell corporation mumbo jumbo that any corporate lawyer can prep for you, it will cost $ but it will be easy. Anonymity from Apple could probably be pulled off by incorporating in a country with fairly weak transparency and h…

You can also use someone else's ID and metadata, signing up to banking and Apple while remote desktopping in to a compromised windows computer near their postal code.

Compromised windows computers are listed by postal code on some market places.

This will pass practically all flagging on the transactional side.

(You can still use a company you formed as well, and DUNS number, for the public listing on the app store)

Not really that complicated.

Re: Ask HN: Is it still conceivable to remain an anonymous developer nowadays?

#13

Post by treyfitty »

spoonjim wrote: post #7

There are three levels of anonymity: anonymity to the general public, to Apple, and to a state-level actor. Anonymity to the general public is very easy, incorporate a company behind some of the shell corporation mumbo jumbo that any corporate lawyer can prep for you, it will cost $ but it will be easy. Anonymity from Apple could probably be pulled off by incorporating in a country with fairly weak transparency and h…

Legitimate question: what benefits are there to be anonymous to the general public? Wouldn’t most people be happy to take credit for their code?

Re: Ask HN: Is it still conceivable to remain an anonymous developer nowadays?

#15

Post by bigiain »

cnity wrote: post #9
bigiain wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Satoshi does/did not have an Apple Developer account, and never needed his code signed by Apple to run on it's target platform.

Even if it was needed, they would not have had a hard time finding a trustworthy volunteer.

Like Craig Wright?

(Oh, you said "trustworthy". My bad...)

Re: Ask HN: Is it still conceivable to remain an anonymous developer nowadays?

#17

Post by Copenjin »

I've read your post on anonymity, considering that there are successful developers from Russia or some other fake-democracy countries for example, I don't really see why you should have any problems. And which kind of problems? Less revenues?

Opening a small company could probably be ok to preserve some sort of basic anonymity (meaning, it takes a variable but not negligible amount of effort to understand who the owner is).

Re: Ask HN: Is it still conceivable to remain an anonymous developer nowadays?

#19

Post by spzb »

Jack_rando_fang wrote: post #14

Wait... there are "free Apple Developer Certificates"?

From the downloads page [0], I presume he means he's distributed the applications as unsigned applications [1]. So "free developer certificates" in the same sense that self-signed SSL certificates are free.

[0] https://synappser.github.io/downloads/ [1] https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/mac-help/mh40616/mac

Re: Ask HN: Is it still conceivable to remain an anonymous developer nowadays?

#20

Post by musikele »

treyfitty wrote: post #13
spoonjim wrote: post #7

There are three levels of anonymity: anonymity to the general public, to Apple, and to a state-level actor. Anonymity to the general public is very easy, incorporate a company behind some of the shell corporation mumbo jumbo that any corporate lawyer can prep for you, it will cost $ but it will be easy. Anonymity from Apple could probably be pulled off by incorporating in a country with fairly weak transparency and h…

Legitimate question: what benefits are there to be anonymous to the general public? Wouldn’t most people be happy to take credit for their code?

If your code is perfectly legit, but lies in shady or non-generally-ethical sectors, like porn, gambling, weapons, one might want to hide their identity to the general public.
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