Opt Out Decentralized and censorship-resistant messaging platforms w/ Sean O'Brien
Sep 6, 2021
Sean O'Brien, a privacy and security practitioner and founder of Privacy Lab at Yale, dives into the world of decentralized messaging. He discusses the urgent need for alternatives to centralized platforms, highlighting Panquake as a censorship-resistant option. O'Brien demystifies privacy myths, tackles the fragility of the advertising model, and shares practical tools for enhancing digital security. Listeners will walk away inspired to adopt realistic privacy practices and empower themselves against surveillance.
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Centralization Broke The Early Web
- The web centralized as JavaScript and third-party code invaded browsers, creating new surveillance vectors.
- Sean O'Brien says this backend view revealed privacy as the next political and sovereignty frontier.
Surveillance Is Now A Real-World Threat
- Snowden and major leaks exposed active warfare on the internet with state and criminal actors abusing systems.
- Sean O'Brien argues privacy is essential now because surveillance infrastructure tangibly harms people's lives.
Privacy Isn't Just A Transaction
- People treat privacy transactionally, installing apps just to complete tasks and ignoring systemic effects.
- Sean O'Brien says that short-term incentives and consent framing block long-term privacy thinking.