Spain has banned Telegram.

They are claiming this is over copyright violations of users, that Telegram is failing to police. Now some users will be forced to consider decentralized solutions. As I have repeated many times, Session messenger empowers users to defy state level censorship, with its unique blockchain based DNS that completely separates physical locations from identity. And our team has repeatedly mentioned using Session to defy a Monero ban.

With Session, if the location of the VPS or device is discovered, the user can rotate the blockchain name to a new public key. On the other hand, SimpleX, Tor Onions, or XMPP are tied to physical devices with encryption keys in memory, and their discovery is a game-over.

However, Session receives a lot of criticism. Rather than ignore this, I tackle it head on, https://simplifiedprivacy.com/spain-has-banned-telegram-defending-session/

Tor Browser Onion: http://privacypkybrxebcjicfhgwsb3coatqechwnc5xow4udxwa6jemylmyd.onion/spain-has-banned-telegram-defending-session/

      • helenslunch
        33·
        3 months ago

        Matrix is much worse in every way. Slower and collects a myriad of metadata.

        • azalty@jlai.luEnglish
          2·
          2 months ago

          This. I don’t get why it’s so praised. I feel like all main clients are just spyware with how much data they retrieve

        • tusker@monero.town
          44·
          3 months ago

          Telegram does not collect metadata… 🤦

          You can run your own matrix server. Metadata is meaningless if you use a different account for each identity along with VPN’s.

          • helenslunch
            3·
            3 months ago

            Telegram does not collect metadata… 🤦

            No one was talking about Telegram… 🤦

            You can run your own matrix server.

            Sure, if you have the technical knowledge required. But presumably you want to use it to communicate with people other than yourself, at which point your metadata is stored on their servers as well.

            Metadata is meaningless if you use a different account for each identity along with VPN’s.

            No it’s not.

            • tusker@monero.town
              12·
              3 months ago

              I said Matrix is better than both of them, hence talking about telegram…

              I have a separate account for every identity all using different IP’s, the metadata is meaningless. Matrix is the best way to chat online once you consider all pros and cons.

              • helenslunch
                2·
                3 months ago

                You were talking about Telegram. I was very clearly not.

                Matrix is not even close to the best way. Not even in the top 10.

                • tusker@monero.town
                  12·
                  3 months ago

                  Matrix is #1 from a privacy, usability, and feature perspective. For you facebook is in the top 3.

                  • helenslunch
                    2·
                    3 months ago

                    Matrix is #1 from a privacy, usability, and feature perspective.

                    Not even close.

                    For you facebook is in the top 3.

                    Huh? You’re just making shit up now. Is this supposed to be some sort of shitty insult?

          • SummerBreeze@monero.townOP
            31·
            3 months ago

            The metadata of conversations is just as important as the metadata of money. The CIA director said “we kill people off metadata”

            Also this conversation was about censorship, not just pure privacy. Matrix is federated, just like SimpleX. Meaning it uses government domains. So one could not trade Monero on either of these platforms against the will of sanctions with any meaningful size.

            Can you do a small amount and different burners? Sure. But then how’s the customer gonna verify its you and find you? PGP signatures over Matrix DMS? c’mon man, we’re talking about freedom here.

            • tusker@monero.town
              11·
              3 months ago

              Yes, if you are using the same account to talk to your grandma as to buy and sell 10K XMR then you may have a problem, but you would most likely be OK anyway.

              I would like to see Matrix over Tor or I2P this would solve any DMS issues.

              • SummerBreeze@monero.townOP
                2·
                3 months ago

                I’m asking you to consider this technology beyond just evasion. It’s a distribution system for content.

                Matrix is tied to one server. Federation is physical locations. Yeah you can hide those locations with Tor or I2P, but ultimately if that location is found its game over. With a blockchain based and node based system, its full blown crypto anarchy. You can establish a reputation that can’t be taken away.

                The same way we value XMR for it’s self-custody of money, as opposed to btc lightning that ties it to a liquidity server. That same logic, is now why self-custody of communication is greater than “federated liquidity hiding”

                • tusker@monero.town
                  2·
                  3 months ago

                  I see what you are saying. Once we have the usability and feature set of matrix with a blockchain based decentralized solution I am 100% in. 👍

                  • VolunTerry@monero.townEnglish
                    2·
                    3 months ago

                    Awesome discussion! I see better solutions on the horizon with back and forth like this here. A willingness to adopt better tech as it is developed will be critical. Monero doesn’t stagnate in its development and neither should our communication and distribution platforms.

          • matcha_addict@lemy.lol
            1·
            3 months ago

            You can run your own matrix server

            If you communicate with someone on another server, wouldn’t your data and metadata be exposed to that server too?

            • tusker@monero.town
              1·
              3 months ago

              Yes, the other server can see who you are talking to, but you can encrypt the conversation so they cannot see the content.

              • matcha_addict@lemy.lol
                1·
                3 months ago

                Not that telegram or others are any better (except maybe SimpleX), but imo this is a significant privacy weak point. But I understand it is pretty difficult to get away from this.

                I disagree that metadata is meaningless even if you use multiple identities with VPN. But I agree this greatly enhances your security. A state actor could potentially still find you out though, with enough effort.