Show HN: Like Twitter, but Immutable, Verifiable and Decentralized | Hacker News Reader

Show HN: Like Twitter, but Immutable, Verifiable and Decentralized

github.com

14 pointspubliush10 comments

Interesting, using TXT fields in DNS records seems like a good way to decentralise data.

I just wonder about the promoting "immutability", is that something people want? I would think most individuals don't want every thing they say permanently added to a database/blockchain, right?

This is definitely a little bit of a different medium to twitter and likely the '1 post per block' limitation is great in this case. Think before you Zooko, as it's permanent and forever.

Immutability makes social media worse. Immutability may make me consider my words before I write them, but it also prevents me from saying things I’m not sure about, from learning as I go, and from experimentation.

Perhaps more importantly, it holds my opinions hostage to time and to the progress of society.

Society would do well to be rid of social media.

twetch solves this by encrypting each post on the blockchain and allowing users to revoke access (functionally deleting the post for all users) https://twet.ch/inv/ratel

[Submission Statement]: Right now, there are a lot of sentiments as it relates to de-platforming on various platforms. I was able to implement a completely decentralized twitter-like microblogging system on top of a blockchain, so this inherits the immutability from the chain with it. Since it uses Handshake, the posts are also name-verified.

I named it in honor of Zooko, one of the original Cypherpunks. Cypherpunks write code.

Onward.

I also just pushed zooko message [1]. This allows you to encrypt and decrypt messages using only your handshake name.

[1] https://github.com/publiusfederalist/zooko-msg

Twetch does all of this but better. immutable data but with client encryption so data access can be revoked https://twet.ch/inv/ratel

It would be nice if this integrates with existing standards for microblogging like ActivityPub or XMPP.

Right now it's in POC form, so it's just using a simple 'zooko:' prepend to identify Zooko messages (Zookos). Since it's completely decentralized on chain, it actually doesn't need ActivityPub or XMPP for help (all you need is the ability to download the chain).

So, as a participant in this, I can either limit my comments to the currently accepted social constraints, or I can run my reputation, exempting me from advancing my career or interests.

The first one prevents us from learning anything interesting and from moving society forward. The second is self defeating.

I feel like immutability has become an idea, much like libertarianism, that captures our interest but in practice is ruinous. The sooner we can shed our fascination with it the better.

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