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Protocols, Not Platforms: A Technological Approach to Free Speech (2019)

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Re: Protocols, Not Platforms: A Technological Approach to Free Speech (2019)

#21

Post by HotVector »

jasode wrote: post #3

>a workable plan that enables more free speech, [...] That approach: build protocols, not platforms. To be clear, this is an approach that would bring us back to the way the internet used to be. The early internet involved many different protocols—instructions and standards that anyone could then use to build a compatible interface. As I've commented before[1][2], discussing protocols and advocating for them is a pop…

Peer-to-peer communication with sparsely decentralized data storage is the answer.

Re: Protocols, Not Platforms: A Technological Approach to Free Speech (2019)

#22

Post by jrumbut »

colllectorof wrote: post #8

"After a decade or so of the general sentiment being in favor of the internet and social media as a way to enable more speech and improve the marketplace of ideas, in the last few years the view has shifted dramatically—now it seems that almost no one is happy." 10 or 15 years ago people looked at web 1.0, saw many good communities and valuable conversations and said "we need to protect free speech". Today people loo…

I look at it this way: 10-15 years ago many of us were complaining the web was being turned into TV.

I think that was basically right, and now social media is rediscovering the other things that made TV work, which is that you can't just continually show the most upsetting/titillating media 24/7.

And with the benefit of hindsight, I don't believe Twitter/Facebook have the obligation to be the venue where we exercise our freedom of speech. They tried and it turned out they were very bad at it.

It's time to move on and use those services for keeping in touch with old classmates or whatever they are good at and develop platforms that are good for holding serious conversations.

Re: Protocols, Not Platforms: A Technological Approach to Free Speech (2019)

#23

Post by ilaksh »

jasode wrote: post #3

>a workable plan that enables more free speech, [...] That approach: build protocols, not platforms. To be clear, this is an approach that would bring us back to the way the internet used to be. The early internet involved many different protocols—instructions and standards that anyone could then use to build a compatible interface. As I've commented before[1][2], discussing protocols and advocating for them is a pop…

I still think it's quite strange how peer-to-peer systems are dismissed offhand these days. At one time the idea was quite popular. I believe it will come back into popularity again.

One thing that probably will affect that dramatically is rollout of IPv6.

But the author also addresses another aspect of it which is the economics. Cryptocurrency can help with that.

Re: Protocols, Not Platforms: A Technological Approach to Free Speech (2019)

#24

Post by pixl97 »

metalliqaz wrote: post #19
colllectorof wrote: post #8

"After a decade or so of the general sentiment being in favor of the internet and social media as a way to enable more speech and improve the marketplace of ideas, in the last few years the view has shifted dramatically—now it seems that almost no one is happy." 10 or 15 years ago people looked at web 1.0, saw many good communities and valuable conversations and said "we need to protect free speech". Today people loo…

I'm shocked (/s) that Silicon Valley's brand of libertarianism led to five companies dominating everything and then pulling up the ladder behind them by abandoning open standards in favor or proprietary silos.

Expect to be down voted for speaking such heresy on HN.

Re: Protocols, Not Platforms: A Technological Approach to Free Speech (2019)

#25

Post by wussboy »

HotVector wrote: post #20
colllectorof wrote: post #8

"After a decade or so of the general sentiment being in favor of the internet and social media as a way to enable more speech and improve the marketplace of ideas, in the last few years the view has shifted dramatically—now it seems that almost no one is happy." 10 or 15 years ago people looked at web 1.0, saw many good communities and valuable conversations and said "we need to protect free speech". Today people loo…

If you look at it that way, then what Facebook was advocating for starts to look noble. They wanted ultimate transparency so that if anyone said anything stupid, it would get instantly knocked down, preventing the spread of misinformation, but obviously they failed really badly.

I don't think they failed at all. They also realized that this "stupid" conversation was very profitable, and the more they pushed it to other people, the more money they made.

If there is a failing, it is that Facebook is still claiming the moral high ground while they have ground our public discourse in to the manure.

Re: Protocols, Not Platforms: A Technological Approach to Free Speech (2019)

#26

Post by mfer »

colllectorof wrote: post #8

"After a decade or so of the general sentiment being in favor of the internet and social media as a way to enable more speech and improve the marketplace of ideas, in the last few years the view has shifted dramatically—now it seems that almost no one is happy." 10 or 15 years ago people looked at web 1.0, saw many good communities and valuable conversations and said "we need to protect free speech". Today people loo…

Technology shapes conversations and changes in the way technology works has changed the way the conversations have happened.

> 10 or 15 years ago people looked at web 1.0, saw many good communities and valuable conversations and said "we need to protect free speech".

Look at how the conversations happened. They were in places like forums and forums were often around topics. I belonged to many forums on topics and the general conversation was around those (with some water cooler).

This is worthy of protecting. Just this week I ended up in a forum on a topic because I was trying to figure out how to repair something and there was discussion around people on it. Very valuable.

> Today people looks at Twitter/Facebook/YouTube/Reddit, see mismanaged cesspools and declare that we need centralized speech control.

These are general conversation channels with the exception of Reddit. They are also paired with targeted ads. They tend to be short form. In a forum I see all the things and navigate it. In Twitter/FB/etc I see what they put in front of me. They control the flow of information.

The platforms the conversations are happening on are shaping the conversations themselves. This cannot be discounted.

Re: Protocols, Not Platforms: A Technological Approach to Free Speech (2019)

#27

Post by WClayFerguson »

colllectorof wrote: post #8

"After a decade or so of the general sentiment being in favor of the internet and social media as a way to enable more speech and improve the marketplace of ideas, in the last few years the view has shifted dramatically—now it seems that almost no one is happy." 10 or 15 years ago people looked at web 1.0, saw many good communities and valuable conversations and said "we need to protect free speech". Today people loo…

The left wing is still not wanting to rise up against censorship because they believe it's still benefiting them, since BigTech (+M5M) is their leftist ally...for now.

What they need to realize is that once you give Tyrannical Control over to your leaders (governments, or BigTech censors), because you consider them benevolent today, it's foolish because they won't be benevolent forever.

Our founding fathers knew power corrupts, but today's 20-somethings seem quite unaware. They think we can create a system where all forms of "bad" speech are stopped. But the problem with that is you end up having to define "bad". My definition of "patriotic speech" might be your definition of "mean speech", so unless you appoint power-wielding dictators to make the final decision, the only solution is to just say everyone is free. Once you allow dictators they'll always become corrupt and self-interested.

The left thinks they're in a war against evil and meanies, but really the only opponent they're fighting is freedom itself.

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