> If everything is decentralized, there are no records if you get threatened, extorted, or harassed on a platform, and harmful content isn't saved anywhere notable.
I'd take some time to read the protocol. I'd go as far as saying the protocol _is_ the contract you form with other members of the network when communicating. No centralized EULA, it's a set of policies that you must follow if you want to establish communication with another node on the network.
https://ssbc.github.io/scuttlebutt-protocol-guide/
If you receive a message, you'll have proof you received it and proof that it was created with the senders identity (key). This proof is stored locally on your device, and is likely replicated across multiple nodes that you peer with. From the "Private Messages" section:
> Private messages are encrypted so that only certain recipients can read them. They are posted to the sender’s Scuttlebutt feed like normal messages.
> Anyone can see the fact that a feed posted a private message, who sent it (the feed that posted it), when it was sent and its size. However the list of recipients, number of recipients and message body is concealed.
If someone posts something illegal (or just not nice) on their feed, you'll have proof too in the same way. That proof will also likely be federated across multiple peers. From the "Feed" section:
> The messages in a feed form an append-only log, meaning that once a message is posted it cannot be modified. Each message (except the first one) references the ID of the previous message, allowing a chain to be constructed back to the first message in the feed.
> there are no records
I'd argue the records on this platform are more resilient than what exist today on centralized platforms.
If your goal is to track harmful content, and alert people who share your definition of harmful, this communication protocol will allow you to do that. You should be able to form communities around moderation policies.