---
layout: post
title: Modern internet disconnects
date: 2019-09-10 17:22:43
categories: misc
---

Internet used to connect people who used it. It still does that to some
extent. But a lot of modern services/platforms are also working hard at
disconnecting people who use them from people who don't. While we can't avoid
that altogether (thanks to abundant amount of malicious parties), we can at
least set minimal requirements for communication/sharing platforms.

<cut/>

- all public content should be viewable without login and through tor (if
  applicable; this implies no recaptcha walls)

- in case a native application is required to access platform, it should be
  libre/open-source software and available on libre platforms (i'd rather not
  use non-free js either, but this is about *minimal* requirements)

- registration should not require phone number, government id or another
  platform id; the reason why we can tolerate email requirement is that you can
  get one for free w/o other ids / choose provider / host it yourself; it's not
  ideal, but it's a standard and any other as widespread services are much worse

- this is pretty trivial, but login should be secure; setting up https isn't all
  that hard these days

What do you do when you're asked to login to view content? I close the tab. What
do you do when you're asked to pay to view content? I close the tab. What do you
do when you're asked to send password over unencrypted channel? I close the tab.

First two rules are of course more important, as they affect viewing
content. For platforms that adhere to them, but not the latter ones, i consider
it ok to browse them as needed, but not register on them.

Join the action. Stop spreading walled garden internets. If you register and
post your content on such platforms, you're limiting your audience and harming
those who still decide to do the same.

PS: this site is available on/via different platforms/protocols, including git &
clearnet web hosting; commenting is only available from ZeroNet — libre software
decentralized network; for viewing comments (all three of them) you can visit
this site via one of the public proxies.
