Hacker News Recap November 28th, 2025 | Pocketbase – open-source realtime back end in 1 file
Nov 29, 2025
Discover the innovative PocketBase, an open-source real-time backend packed into a single file. Dive into the EU's 'Chat Control' mandate raising privacy concerns and a German petition recognizing open-source work as civic service. Explore a fascinating project detecting smart glasses with cameras and unravel Meta's strategic accounting maneuvers hiding $27 billion. Delve into the effects of surveillance on online eroticism, a creative workaround for Imgur's geo-blocking, and insights on AI's transformative impact from A16Z.
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One-File Backend For Fast Prototyping
- PocketBase packages database, auth, and file storage in a single Go binary to simplify small projects and prototypes.
- Its one-file, open-source design prioritizes quick setup and real-time features without heavy backend overhead.
EU Chat Control Raises Mass Surveillance Risk
- The EU chat-control mandate would require companies to scan private messages using algorithms to detect illegal content.
- Critics warn this could normalize mass surveillance and erode user privacy under public-safety justifications.
Recognizing Open Source As Civic Contribution
- A German petition asks the government to recognize open-source contributions as civic service to give contributors formal recognition and benefits.
- The movement reflects rising appreciation for community-driven software as public good and potential policy incentives.