Ask HN: Is there a cloud-based email service where one cannot be deplaotformed? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Is there a cloud-based email service where one cannot be deplaotformed?

5 pointsdevoutsalsa6 comments

I use Gmail. While I don't think it's likely won't ever be deplatformed for my personal behavior, you never know these days I could get deplatformed for something stupid I did years ago, because I piss off the wrong person on the wrong day, or simply because some bot goes on a rampage. Are there any cloud-based Gmail alternatives where one doesn't risk being deplatformed? I could self-host, but that comes w/ it's own set of risks. Basically, I dreaming of an email account that carries zero risk of being lost, short of an external even like a natural disaster or the government itself declaring my email address to be a national security threat.

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Just never ever speak out or hold an opinion on anything which differs from the current orthodoxy and you'll be fine.

Also, try and become obsessed with the antics of the various zzz-elebrities provided for your entertainement and train yourself to communicate entirely through emojis, 'likes' and animated GIFs. This way you'll soon find yourself unable to communicate one of your 'wrongthink' ideas. Even if you wanted to.

Sorry, "zero risk" doesn't exist.

I'm days late but just happened to stumble across an FSF list of webmail services[1] that might fit what you're looking for.

[1]: https://www.fsf.org/resources/webmail-systems

your own domain you can use any email service provider, and if they choose to duty services you can always switch to another one

and if you are completely deplatformed you can always use selfhosted server(it's not that hard nowdays)

Yes, this. I've had my own domain for about 20 years. I've used that domain at gmail, a brief attempt at self-hosting, and at fastmail for most of those years. I've considered proton, but I'm happy with fastmail.

Moving my email hosting while keeping my "identity" is one of my primary motivations.

That said, you don't "own" a domain, you only rent registrar services. If you miss a payment (mine is automatic) or become notorious, you could lose your domain.

Still, it's the most practical foothold for most of us.

Encrypt your emails instead. Unless that is outlawed or explicitly against the TOS of your email host/provider, you should be good to go.

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