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Source: https://ulveon.net/index.xml

1. <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" standalone="yes"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"><channel><title>Ulveon's Thoughts</title><link>https://ulveon.net/</link><description>Recent content on Ulveon's Thoughts</description><generator>Hugo -- gohugo.io</generator><language>en-us</language><lastBuildDate>Thu, 27 Feb 2025 22:06:00 +0100</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://ulveon.net/index.xml" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><item><title>Meritocracy: The lie that built modern Western society</title><link>https://ulveon.net/p/2025-02-27-meritocracy-the-lie-that-built-modern-western-society/</link><pubDate>Thu, 27 Feb 2025 22:06:00 +0100</pubDate><guid>https://ulveon.net/p/2025-02-27-meritocracy-the-lie-that-built-modern-western-society/</guid><description>&lt;p>Most of the modern West is built around the idea of meritocracy. Because of how influential Christianism has been in Europe, and later America, this can be traced back to Abrahamic traditions. Many societies nowadays revolve around &amp;ldquo;hardened individuals&amp;rdquo;, &amp;ldquo;self-made men&amp;rdquo;, and individual financial success. Admittedly, this behaviour motivates people to give their best, as you condition them to believe their efforts have a measurable impact on their future life, by which more effort translates into a better, more comfortable life. And for sure, there&amp;rsquo;s a component of effort and hard work in everyone&amp;rsquo;s future.&lt;/p>
2. <blockquote>
3. <p><em>Ulveon’s note: I started writing this post way before the US elections. My posts usually take several months to finish, and I didn’t expect any of what’s happening in the USA right now. With “merit-based hiring”, the relentless attacks on DEI and more, the USA has embarked on a dark and sinister journey of increased exploitation, discrimination, and worship of the US dollar to drive a specific political agenda.</em></p>
4. </blockquote>
5. <p>But, to what degree does personal effort influence your future? The answer varies significantly depending on the kind of effort and the discipline to which it is applied.</p>
6. <p>Nowadays, most modern meritocracy advocates have stopped using the “hard work” cliché, as the usual criticism of this is how hard warehouse workers work compared to the average white-collar office worker. The preferred term now is <strong>“working smart”</strong>, implying that it’s not about unfocused hard work but about very methodical work in specific areas yielding a significant impact. That’s to say, it’s less about physical effort or the number of hours and more about results.</p>
7. <h2 id="luck">Luck</h2>
8. <p>For many, this is a sensitive and emotional topic. Telling someone that effort doesn’t matter and that success is a matter of luck would imply that investing effort into a task is a waste of time. Conversely, for many wealthy individuals, it becomes difficult to justify their wealth ethically.</p>
9. <p>In my opinion, the following <a class="link" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LopI4YeC4I" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
10. >video</a> by Veritasium explains the factor of luck very well.</p>
11. <div class="video-wrapper">
12. <iframe loading="lazy"
13. src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3LopI4YeC4I"
14. allowfullscreen
15. title="YouTube Video"
16. >
17. </iframe>
18. </div>
19. <p>A recent study has shown how luck plays an ever-increasing role in a person’s success. Naturally, it’s not all luck: high levels of effort might be the determining factor for better outcomes in groups with similar levels of “luck”.</p>
20. <p>When I refer to “luck”, I mean various conditions and situations beyond an individual’s control. These factors include parental wealth, genetic predispositions to illnesses such as asthma or mental health issues, personality traits, living conditions, the number of siblings one has, and connections with powerful and influential people, among others.</p>
21. <p>Most famously, this evidence is supported in <a class="link" href="https://arxiv.org/pdf/1802.07068" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
22. >“Talent vs Luck: the role of randomness in success and failure” by A. Pluchino, A. E. Biondo & A. Rapisarda</a> [<a class="link" href="https://p4d0.c1.e2-10.dev/ulveon-public/static%2F2025-01-25-meritocracy%2F1802.07068v3.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
23. >mirrored PDF</a>].</p>
24. <p>James Clear <a class="link" href="https://jamesclear.com/luck-vs-hard-work" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
25. >argues</a> [<a class="link" href="https://archive.is/20240702221336/https://jamesclear.com/luck-vs-hard-work" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
26. >archived version</a>] that “Absolute Success is Luck. Relative Success is Hard Work.”. Indeed, I agree. Not all is luck. If you are lucky but don’t work for it, you might inherit wealth but will also easily lose it. Conversely, if you work hard, as unlucky as you might be, you can land yourself in a better position than you would otherwise might have.</p>
27. <p>The fact remains that there’s an invisible “glass ceiling” for every individual, shaped by factors such as their birthplace, upbringing, parental wealth, or how many siblings they have.</p>
28. <p>There are diminishing returns to hard work. I firmly believe random people cannot become wealthy like Jeff Bezos, Steve Jobs, or Bill Gates, regardless of the effort they put into their careers or aspirations. It takes not only a specific type of psyche and work ethic but also a specific set of circumstances and the ability to see these patterns unfold before you and act on them to seize the opportunity. Additionally, it necessitates a certain level of ruthlessness and a loose ethical code, but I will discuss that in another post.</p>
29. <h2 id="merit">Merit</h2>
30. <p>How do we measure merit? Nobody has an exact answer. While number of worked hours is a good approximation, instead, many proponents of meritocracy assume wealth equates to merit and try to reason through how rich people deserve their wealth. This reverses the implication by which people with high salaries are also high-effort individuals.</p>
31. <p>Indeed, you can find reasons for rich people deserve their wealth. They may have invented something revolutionary or groundbreaking at some point. They may work long hours or be charismatic and attract the best talent because they have qualities that allow them to evaluate exceptional individuals quickly. But if the implication was like this, it would also imply there are no rich people who are lazy and unachieving.</p>
32. <p>Many of today’s billionaires have experimented and failed repeatedly dozens or hundreds of times before discovering the formula for success. Success rarely materialises effortlessly; it is equally easy to see how individuals with greater financial capital and resources can engage in such iterative experiments. In contrast, for someone with fewer resources, failing might mean bankruptcy or even losing their life savings. Failure is common, yet success stories outnumber setbacks in public discourse. In other words: more money gives you more opportunities, making success statistically likely compared to less wealthy individuals.</p>
33. <h3 id="success">Success</h3>
34. <p>Success is frequently described as the favourable outcome of an endeavour, and it’s somewhat perverse, as we measure merit based on success. Naturally, failing is easy, but succeeding is not. Experiencing failure may not yield significant outcomes, whereas achieving success has the potential to result in transformative scientific breakthroughs or pioneering advancements in consumer products.</p>
35. <p>This can also create a culture where fear of failure is rampant, and prevent people from even trying.</p>
36. <h2 id="systemic-inequalities---compounded-privilege">Systemic inequalities - Compounded privilege</h2>
37. <p>Meritocracy is oftentimes seen as a zero-sum game where the winner takes all. This perspective can reinforce existing privileges because wealth tends to be passed down through family connections. Wealthy individuals can easily finance their children’s education, giving them more significant opportunities to become well-educated adults. As a result, they are more likely to build valuable connections and secure well-paying jobs than less privileged individuals with limited or no access to higher education. In some cases, like the United States, education is not all about learning, but about connections. Attending MIT might be an excellent investment primarily because MIT students tend to be wealthy and successful. Proximity to them can prove beneficial if you are interested in founding a startup.</p>
38. <p>This creates a compounded privilege scenario wherein the children of the affluent inherently possess greater advantages than their less-privileged counterparts, thereby further increasing the gap between the wealthy and the impoverished and undermining any aspirational meritocratic ideals.</p>
39. <h2 id="perverse-capitalist-incentives">Perverse capitalist incentives</h2>
40. <p>People need to pay their bills. To achieve this, individuals must maintain employment or possess alternative sources of funding. It would be ideal for students to receive financial support from their parents while pursuing their university studies, alleviating concerns related to income or educational expenses. Unfortunately, this is not always the case; some individuals may have parents with limited financial resources or may be otherwise unable to depend on their parents for assistance.</p>
41. <p>In cases like these, it effectively means that poor people have to work and study simultaneously if their parents can’t afford to educate them. It adds stress to one’s life and makes success much less likely, but the choice is limited: They can either study and work, or only work. Dedicating oneself to studying exclusively is not feasible in most countries, because, regardless of tuition, students need a place to live, for which they have to pay.</p>
42. <h2 id="psychological-and-social-factors-fallacies">Psychological and social factors: fallacies</h2>
43. <p>People may endorse meritocracy to rationalise the cognitive dissonance coming from social inequality.</p>
44. <h3 id="cognitive-dissonance-reduction">Cognitive dissonance reduction</h3>
45. <p>Cognitive dissonance theory suggests that individuals experience psychological discomfort when holding contradictory beliefs or when their beliefs conflict with observed reality. In the context of social inequality, disadvantaged individuals may experience dissonance between their disadvantaged position and their belief in a fair society. To reduce this dissonance, they may embrace meritocratic beliefs, convincing themselves that the system is fair and their position is a result of personal decisions rather than systemic issues or factors outside of their control.</p>
46. <h3 id="social-identity-and-status">Social identity and status</h3>
47. <p>Humans are social by nature. And because of this, they will seek to belong to groups. Nobody actively seeks to belong to a group of lazy, unachieving individuals, but people in highly competitive societies often make it part of their personality to humblebrag about how hard they work, or how many hours they dedicate to working. The implication is that, not only are they virtuous for working hard, but they’re also wealthy because of this.</p>
48. <h2 id="proportionality">Proportionality</h2>
49. <p>According to meritocracy, people working 10x as hard (or 10x as smart) as others <em>should</em> also benefit from increased income; possibly 10x as much, or maybe more than that. Consider: CEO-to-worker compensation ratios stood at slightly below 400x in 2021. Does the average CEO work 400x as hard as the average employee?</p>
50. <p><img src="https://ulveon.net/p/2025-02-27-meritocracy-the-lie-that-built-modern-western-society/ceo-compensation-graph.jpg"
51. width="1200"
52. height="900"
53. srcset="https://ulveon.net/p/2025-02-27-meritocracy-the-lie-that-built-modern-western-society/ceo-compensation-graph_hu12244482847125665107.jpg 480w, https://ulveon.net/p/2025-02-27-meritocracy-the-lie-that-built-modern-western-society/ceo-compensation-graph_hu7512829414494626552.jpg 1024w"
54. loading="lazy"
55. alt="CEO-to-worker compensation ratios have skyrocketed in recent decades"
56. class="gallery-image"
57. data-flex-grow="133"
58. data-flex-basis="320px"
59. ></p>
60. <h2 id="intergenerational-earnings-elasticity">Intergenerational earnings elasticity</h2>
61. <p>This is a fundamental concept to understand. As a mathematical formula, IGEE (Intergenerational Earnings Elasticity) is:</p>
62. <p>$$\log(Y_{child}) = \alpha + \beta \log(Y_{parent}) + \epsilon$$</p>
63. <p>Where:</p>
64. <ul>
65. <li>$Y_{child}$​ is the child’s adult earnings</li>
66. <li>$Y_{parent}$​ is the parent’s earnings</li>
67. <li>$\alpha$ is the intercept term</li>
68. <li>$\beta$ is the intergenerational earnings elasticity</li>
69. <li>$\epsilon$ is the error term and represents all other influences on the child’s earnings that are not explained by parental earnings</li>
70. </ul>
71. <p>The value of $\beta$ represents the fraction of income that is, on average, transmitted across generations. For example:</p>
72. <ul>
73. <li>An IGEE of 0.4 means that if a parent’s income is 100% above the average in their generation, their child’s income is expected to be 40% above the average in the child’s generation.</li>
74. <li>An IGEE of 0 indicates complete mobility (no relationship between parent and child earnings).</li>
75. <li>An IGEE of 1 represents complete immobility (the parent’s relative earnings position is fully passed on to the child).</li>
76. </ul>
77. <p>Intergenerational Earnings Elasticity is an application of the Intergenerational Elasticity formula (IGE), which represents a crucial measure in understanding the persistence of advantages or disadvantages across generations. Its importance can be explained in several key aspects:</p>
78. <ul>
79. <li>It helps drive policies promoting intergenerational mobility and identify mechanisms of persistence</li>
80. <li>Evidence suggests increased levels of IGE not only drives innovation, but may also contribute to economic growth</li>
81. <li>Increased economic efficiency - by preventing nepotism and ensuring everyone has similar opportunities</li>
82. <li>Social justice</li>
83. </ul>
84. <h2 id="the-great-gatsby-curve">The Great Gatsby Curve</h2>
85. <p><img src="https://ulveon.net/p/2025-02-27-meritocracy-the-lie-that-built-modern-western-society/GreatGatsbyCurve.jpg"
86. width="647"
87. height="442"
88. srcset="https://ulveon.net/p/2025-02-27-meritocracy-the-lie-that-built-modern-western-society/GreatGatsbyCurve_hu18324357573751800504.jpg 480w, https://ulveon.net/p/2025-02-27-meritocracy-the-lie-that-built-modern-western-society/GreatGatsbyCurve_hu11278094326515266554.jpg 1024w"
89. loading="lazy"
90. alt="The Great Gatsby Curve"
91. class="gallery-image"
92. data-flex-grow="146"
93. data-flex-basis="351px"
94. ></p>
95. <p>The curve demonstrates a positive correlation between income inequality and intergenerational earnings persistence.</p>
96. <p>Alan Krueger, chair of the Council of Economic Advisers under President Barack Obama, coined this term. The curve suggests that countries with high inequality may offer less economic opportunity for upward mobility, a central theme to American culture and politics—the self-made man or “pull yourself up from the bootstraps”.</p>
97. <p>There are several reasons to explain the mechanisms behind the Great Gatsby Curve:</p>
98. <ol>
99. <li>Family investments: Wealthy parents can invest more in their children’s education and development by sending them to luxurious private education centres.</li>
100. <li>Social influences: Networks and connections play a significant role in every individual’s economic success. Individuals from high-income backgrounds are often more socially desirable, reinforcing this dynamic.</li>
101. <li>Lobbying and politics: Inequality can lead to unfair influence by think tanks run by wealthy people, who can influence and direct economic policies that, in turn, favour them.</li>
102. </ol>
103. <p>The Great Gatsby Curve is supported by research like:</p>
104. <ul>
105. <li><a class="link" href="https://www.nber.org/papers/w19843" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
106. >“Where is the Land of Opportunity? The Geography of Intergenerational Mobility in the United States” by Raj Chetty, Nathaniel Hendren, Patrick Kline & Emmanuel Saez</a> [<a class="link" href="https://p4d0.c1.e2-10.dev/ulveon-public/static%2F2025-01-25-meritocracy%2Fw19843.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
107. >mirrored PDF</a>]</li>
108. <li><a class="link" href="https://bfi.uchicago.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/BFI_WP_2022-29.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
109. >“The Great Gatsby Curve” by Steven N. Durlauf, Andros Kourtellos, and Chih Ming Tan</a> [<a class="link" href="https://p4d0.c1.e2-10.dev/ulveon-public/static%2F2025-01-25-meritocracy%2FBFI_WP_2022-29.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
110. >mirrored PDF</a>]</li>
111. <li><a class="link" href="https://eprints.lse.ac.uk/121316/1/dp1928.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
112. >“The dynamics of the ‘Great Gatsby Curve’ and a look at the curve during the Great Gatsby era” by Diego Battiston, Stephan Maurer, Andrei Potlogea & José V. Rodríguez Mora</a> [<a class="link" href="https://p4d0.c1.e2-10.dev/ulveon-public/static%2F2025-01-25-meritocracy%2Fdp1928.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
113. >mirrored PDF</a>]</li>
114. </ul>
115. <h2 id="social-mobility">Social mobility</h2>
116. <p>The proponents of meritocracy may be inclined to believe that increased regulations and socialism is a deterrent for social mobility, as it might create “leeches” and lazy people who depend on government welfare; but studies show social mobility does not correlate with less socialism and less regulations.</p>
117. <p>On the contrary, a <a class="link" href="https://socialmobility.independent-commission.uk/reports/innovation-and-social-mobility-two-sides-of-the-same-coin/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
118. >report by the Social Mobility Commission of the United Kingdom</a> [<a class="link" href="https://p4d0.c1.e2-10.dev/ulveon-public/static%2F2025-01-25-meritocracy%2FInnovation-Social-Mobility-Thinkpiece.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
119. >mirrored PDF</a>] highlights:</p>
120. <ul>
121. <li>Investing in inclusive, high-quality education can stimulate innovation-led growth and increase social mobility.</li>
122. <li>The geographic concentration of innovative firms in the UK limits opportunities for many workers, where cities like London are highly sought after, but other British regions lose high-skilled workers, which in turn causes innovative firms to leave these regions, further reinforcing this feedback loop.</li>
123. <li>Improving supervision of practices that hinder competition and reducing barriers for new businesses can significantly enhance the success of new market entrants and benefit the surrounding community.</li>
124. </ul>
125. <p>All these measures are fairly interventionist, and I’m sure many libertarians are shocked by the mere suggestion that increased government oversight can lead to prosperity.</p>
126. <h2 id="conclusion">Conclusion</h2>
127. <p>Meritocracy is not real. It’s a nice idea in principle, and it ties back with my post on the <a class="link" href="https://ulveon.net/p/2024-06-07-the-implicit-social-contract-the-division-of-labour/" >implicit social contract</a>: Those who contribute the most to society are rewarded proportionally. On the contrary, those deemed to be contributing the least, or even taking from the rest of society without contributing (as is the case in chronically ill patients, the elderly, the unemployed, and so on), are pushed away from society and resigned to poor living conditions, food insecurity, and more.</p>
128. &lt;p>Again, the problem is that meritocracy doesn&amp;rsquo;t exist. It is not possible to rank humans according to how much they contribute to society. Even approximations like income fail miserably when CEOs play financial gambles to increase revenue without improving the quality or price of the products offered or their employees&amp;rsquo; living and working conditions.&lt;/p></description></item><item><title>Mr. Trump, Ukraine is not for sale</title><link>https://ulveon.net/p/2025-02-21-mr.-trump-ukraine-is-not-for-sale/</link><pubDate>Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:00 +0100</pubDate><guid>https://ulveon.net/p/2025-02-21-mr.-trump-ukraine-is-not-for-sale/</guid><description>&lt;p>Mr. Trump, you ran your 2025 election campaign on claims that you would be able to end the war in Ukraine &lt;a class="link" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/19/us/politics/trump-promise-ending-ukraine-war.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
129. >before you were elected</a> [<a class="link" href="https://archive.is/20250120001620/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/19/us/politics/trump-promise-ending-ukraine-war.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
130. >archived version</a>]. Then you pushed it back to “within 24 hours”.</p>
131. <p>You have not delivered, Mr. President. And this keeps you up at night. You promised something, and less than a year into your presidency, you’re already failing. Naturally, this is just one of many things you promised you hadn’t delivered. This makes you look like a loser and hate being perceived as a loser. Unfortunately, you are a loser, but let’s focus on the war in Ukraine right now.</p>
132. <h2 id="this-wouldnt-have-happened-under-your-administration">This wouldn’t have happened under your administration</h2>
133. <p>In 2022, you made shocking claims that <a class="link" href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/donald-trump-russia-ukraine-war-b2172182.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
134. >this war wouldn’t have happened had you been President</a> [<a class="link" href="https://archive.is/fvOgK" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
135. >archived version</a>]. <a class="link" href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/in-an-interview-putin-echoes-trumps-claim-that-conflict-in-ukraine-could-have-been-avoided-had-he-been-in-office" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
136. >Putin, in 2025 would come out in support of your claims</a> [<a class="link" href="https://archive.is/B09D1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
137. >archived version</a>]. This, of course, is impossible to prove, and also a ridiculous claim. The war is against Ukraine, a sovereign nation to the West of Russia. The war does not involve the United States of America at all. Therefore, it is irrelevant who is the President of the United States at the time unless, of course, you were thinking about giving Russia Ukrainian land for free to prevent a war.</p>
138. <p>On the 19th of February, 1954, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR issued a decree <a class="link" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transfer_of_Crimea_to_Ukraine" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
139. >transferring Crimea</a> from the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (RSFSR) to the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic (UkrSSR). At the time, over half of the population in Crimea was ethnic Russians. Nevertheless, the agreement was reached.</p>
140. <p>The Russo-Ukrainian war began on the 20th of February 2014, when Russia invaded Crimea, violating agreements on troop movements with the use of unmarked soldiers. Later, on the 27th of February, Russia would deploy special forces to occupy government buildings and install a puppet regime so Russia could organise a sham referendum to annex the Crimean peninsula officially.</p>
141. <p>The response from the West was limited and shallow. The international community’s failure to recognise the interconnectedness of these events enabled Russia to escalate its intervention, culminating in the full-scale invasion of 2022. Understanding this chronology is essential for countering disinformation narratives that frame the conflict as a “civil war” or reactive measure. The Russo-Ukrainian War, now in its second decade, remains a stark example of modern imperialism and hybrid aggression.</p>
142. <h2 id="on-bearing-the-costs-of-the-war">On bearing the costs of the war</h2>
143. <p>Mr. Trump, <a class="link" href="https://www.kyivpost.com/analysis/32018" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
144. >you have repeatedly claimed that the United States of America has contributed more towards Ukraine than Europe</a> [<a class="link" href="https://archive.is/8W68e" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
145. >archived version</a>]. This is untrue, but you’re using this platform to financially take advantage of the European Union by building a narrative where the United States is being scammed.</p>
146. <p>The numbers are precise: European citizens contributed <strong>2.8 times more</strong> than Americans relative to GDP. Europe has consistently outpaced the US in non-military aid, including refugee support (€100+ billion vs. $0 from the US).</p>
147. <p>We in the continent have experience dealing with self-centred, arrogant types.</p>
148. <p>I suggest to you, Mr. Trump, that you understand where you belong. The European Union will not be taken advantage of. You will be politically respected if you stick to matters that concern your country’s interests. Still, Ukraine is geographically closer to the European Union, and we Europeans will play a decisive role in shaping Ukraine’s and the rest of the continent’s future, including security matters.</p>
149. <p>Now, it is your choice whether you wish to do this together with your European partners, with whom the United States has maintained friendly relations for decades and shares many common values, or embrace Russia’s authoritarianism and despotic foreign policy. Make sure to choose correctly, as you are running out of allies. Ask Canadians.</p>
150. <h2 id="on-ending-the-war">On ending the war</h2>
151. <p>Mr. Trump, everyone is tired of the war. <a class="link" href="https://unherd.com/newsroom/germany-halves-ukraine-aid-amid-european-war-fatigue/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
152. >Germans are tired</a> [<a class="link" href="https://archive.is/20240719070011/https://unherd.com/newsroom/germany-halves-ukraine-aid-amid-european-war-fatigue/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
153. >archived version</a>], <a class="link" href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/2/23/no-collapse-of-polish-ukrainian-relations-after-two-years-of-russias-war" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
154. >Poland, one of the strongest Ukraine supporters, is also exhausted</a> [<a class="link" href="https://archive.is/Yn2Xu" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
155. >archived version</a>], <a class="link" href="https://yougov.co.uk/politics/articles/51653-ukraine-war-three-years-on-where-do-britons-stand-on-a-potential-peace-deal" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
156. >the United Kingdom is tired</a> [<a class="link" href="https://archive.is/jZc7H" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
157. >archived version</a>], and Russians and Ukrainians are also tired. Of course, everyone wants the war to end immediately. But the question is: at what cost?</p>
158. <p>If Ukraine stops fighting, it will cease to exist. If Russia stops fighting, the war will end, and we will have peace and Ukrainian sovereignty.</p>
159. <p>Supporting Ukraine might be expensive, but unfortunately, you don’t have a choice. You can either support Ukraine for as long as it needs or give into Putin’s demands; there’s no middle ground.</p>
160. <p>What Putin says he wants right now is clear. But we can’t possibly know what he’s thinking. Will he continue with the <a class="link" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_invasion" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
161. >traditional Russian aggression policy</a>, or will this Ukraine peace deal pacify him? It is impossible to know. But there are precedents to believe tyrants are never satisfied through diplomatic agreements, and Russia is a major example of it.</p>
162. <h3 id="pacifying-aggressors---hitler">Pacifying aggressors - Hitler</h3>
163. <p>In 1938, Britain and France permitted Nazi Germany to annexe Czechoslovakia’s Sudetenland, despite Czechoslovakia’s objections. Traumatised by World War I’s devastation, both nations prioritised peace. Widespread anti-war sentiment in Britain and France pressured leaders to seek diplomatic solutions. The distrust of the Soviet Union and uncertainty about US support left Britain and France reluctant to confront Germany without reliable allies.</p>
164. <p>What came after, everyone knows. Hitler didn’t stop in Czechoslovakia. He would go on to also invade Poland, triggering World War II.</p>
165. <p>On the 31st of August, 1939, Nazi operatives staged a fake Polish attack on a German radio station to justify invading Poland. Poland was under mutual defence treaties with Britain and France at the time.</p>
166. <p>The Soviet Union then invaded eastern Poland on the 17th of September, 1939, per the secret terms of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact.</p>
167. <p>Other examples of failed land concessions include:</p>
168. <ul>
169. <li>Manchuria (1931): The League of Nations condemned Japan’s invasion but took no action to reverse it. Japan would then continue expanding into China.</li>
170. <li>Rhineland (1936) and Austria (1938): Allowing German rearmament and the Anschluss (annexation of Austria) without consequences.</li>
171. </ul>
172. <h2 id="not-involving-ukraine-or-european-allies">Not involving Ukraine or European allies</h2>
173. <p>I know you want to appear tough, Mr. Trump. You think Europeans are weak and incompetent, and you want to take the highlight for ending the war in Ukraine. This will be a massive victory that you can bring back home to your loyal fans, and sweeten it with the fact you not only refused European involvement but even demanded that Europe <a class="link" href="https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/trump-says-nato-members-should-spend-5-of-gdp-on-defence/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
174. >increases GDP spending to at least 5%</a> [<a class="link" href="https://archive.is/20250218151117/https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/trump-says-nato-members-should-spend-5-of-gdp-on-defence/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
175. >archived version</a>], a figure which by the way, the United States of America does not currently meet, and <a class="link" href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14406417/Trump-withdraw-troops-form-Baltics-leave-Europe-vulnerable-Russia-European-officials-fear-report-claims-peace-plan-Ukraine-forced-extraordinary-financial-reparations.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
176. >withdraw American NATO troops from the Baltic region</a> [<a class="link" href="https://archive.is/20250217185232/https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14406417/Trump-withdraw-troops-form-Baltics-leave-Europe-vulnerable-Russia-European-officials-fear-report-claims-peace-plan-Ukraine-forced-extraordinary-financial-reparations.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
177. >archived version</a>], but is this a net positive for America?</p>
178. <p>You might consider stepping back from a long-standing strategic partnership in defence and economic matters with the European Union, but it would be wise to recognise the potential consequences. If you do, don’t be surprised when Europe begins to distance itself from the USA.</p>
179. <p>As I’ve pointed out before, Europe and the European Union are poised to play a crucial role in influencing the outcome of the Ukraine war and its subsequent reconstruction—whether or not the United States is involved.</p>
180. <h2 id="quick-deals">Quick deals</h2>
181. <p>Everyone wants the war to end—except perhaps the C-suites of Lockheed Martin and Raytheon.</p>
182. <p>You project an image of an experienced dealmaker. And indeed, audacious negotiation tactics can frequently yield favourable results, mainly if you are aware of your intrinsic value and can persuade others that you possess more significant influence than you exhibit.</p>
183. <p>However, Mr. Trump, diplomacy is fundamentally about deliberate, methodical advancement. Concluding conflicts through diplomatic means is complex, as both parties will insist on a satisfactory resolution, and this can only be achieved if both sides are willing to find a compromise.</p>
184. <p>It is clear to anyone observing the situation that Ukraine is in urgent need of support in its fight to defend itself against a brutal and oppressive authoritarian regime. The importance of standing together against such tyranny cannot be overstated, as the sovereignty and freedom of nations hang in the balance.</p>
185. <p>Why do you think the <a class="link" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/28/world/europe/ukraine-russia-talks-belarus.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
186. >first</a> [<a class="link" href="https://archive.is/20220301011553/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/28/world/europe/ukraine-russia-talks-belarus.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
187. >archived version</a>], <a class="link" href="https://abcnews.go.com/International/2nd-round-talks-russia-ukraine-end-cease-fire/story?id=83226054" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
188. >second</a> [<a class="link" href="https://archive.is/20220305102311/https://abcnews.go.com/International/2nd-round-talks-russia-ukraine-end-cease-fire/story?id=83226054" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
189. >archived version</a>] and <a class="link" href="https://www.dw.com/en/ukraine-and-russia-hold-third-round-of-talks/a-61039008" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
190. >third</a> [<a class="link" href="https://archive.is/20221101054630/https://www.dw.com/en/ukraine-and-russia-hold-third-round-of-talks/a-61039008" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
191. >archived version</a>] rounds of negotiations, days after the invasion was first launched fail?</p>
192. <p>Do you think Russia and Ukraine were simply bad at building a peace deal, and you can do it better without involving Ukraine?</p>
193. <h2 id="the-true-nature-of-the-war-in-ukraine">The true nature of the war in Ukraine</h2>
194. <p>Russia is not interested in land. While Eastern Ukraine is rich in resources, Russia wants control and influence over key ex-Soviet nations. Russia has lost leverage principally because of NATO and the European Union. Many of its old soviet allies are now firmly opposed to Russian politics and influence and wish to align with the West.</p>
195. <p>Ukraine, too, made this decision in 2013, during the <a class="link" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euromaidan" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
196. >Euromaidan protests</a> after Yanukovych suspended EU integration plans. Because of the protests, he fled to Russia. Police forces assassinated many protestors during these events.</p>
197. <p>The people of Ukraine belong in Europe and wish to distance themselves from Russia. Many have given their life to this cause.</p>
198. <h3 id="destabilisation-efforts">Destabilisation efforts</h3>
199. <p>Since then, Russia has interfered with Ukrainian sovereignty through the use of separatist forces in eastern Ukraine. It has been central to destabilising the country since 2014, part of a broader strategy to prevent Western alignment.</p>
200. <p>Russia has:</p>
201. <ul>
202. <li><a class="link" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disinformation_in_the_Russian_invasion_of_Ukraine" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
203. >Spread disinformation</a></li>
204. <li><a class="link" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_in_Donbas" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
205. >Used Russian-commanded battalions in Eastern Ukraine</a></li>
206. <li><a class="link" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_separatist_forces_in_Ukraine" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
207. >Supplied separatist forces with weapons and training</a></li>
208. <li><a class="link" href="https://it.usembassy.gov/how-russia-conducts-false-flag-operations/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
209. >Fabricated false flag attacks</a> [<a class="link" href="https://archive.is/20230506041357/https://it.usembassy.gov/how-russia-conducts-false-flag-operations/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
210. >archived version</a>]</li>
211. </ul>
212. <h2 id="zelenskyy-is-a-dictator">Zelenskyy is a dictator</h2>
213. <p>Mr. Trump, this may come as a shock to you, but words have meanings. I know it is hard to understand for someone who constantly posts lies on a platform called “Truth Social”, but the reality is the only dictator here is Vladimir Putin. Curiously, you have never referred to Vladimir Putin as a dictator.</p>
214. <p>I must remind you: Russia started this war. Russia can end it. You are a liar. Do better.</p>
215. <p>I understand you may be his friend. After all, <a class="link" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBTQ_rights_in_Russia" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
216. >Vladimir Putin loves railing against LBGTQ</a>, has <a class="link" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassination_of_Boris_Nemtsov" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
217. >murdered the opposition</a>, <a class="link" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Media_freedom_in_Russia" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
218. >censors the press</a>, and gets away with it every single time. Something I know you are incredibly jealous of and wish to learn from.</p>
219. <p>You mention that Zelenskyy has suspended elections in Ukraine, which is a legitimate argument; however, it is essential to consider that one-third of the nation is presently under illegal occupation. Bombardments and shelling occur daily since the onset of the conflict. In such circumstances, facilitating voting is not only challenging but could also result in endangering one’s life. That’s, of course, without mentioning how Russia’s <a class="link" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_Research_Agency" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
220. >troll farms</a> would be doing their very best to disrupt democratic Ukrainian elections.</p>
221. <p>You are precisely fulfilling Vladimir Putin’s desires. You are merely a pawn in his game.</p>
222. <h2 id="no-nato-involvement">No NATO involvement</h2>
223. <p>Why would Putin be <a class="link" href="https://www.astroawani.com/berita-dunia/russia-says-nato-states-can-t-enforce-ukraine-peace-wants-membership-pledge-scrapped-509215" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
224. >afraid of NATO involvement in Ukraine</a> [<a class="link" href="https://archive.is/IGy64" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
225. >archived version</a>]? Why would Putin refuse peace-keeping troops on Ukrainian soil? The only reason that can come to mind is because he wants to continue invading Ukraine and destabilising the region, which would be difficulted by the existence of said peace-keeping troops.</p>
226. <p>It is evident to all that Ukraine requires assistance in its struggle to protect itself from a ruthless authoritarian regime.</p>
227. &lt;p>I fear, Mr. Trump, you are doing literal decades of American foreign policy, and playing into the tricks of dictators like Vladimir Putin. In doing this, you&amp;rsquo;re undermining European security, emboldening Vladimir Putin to continue invading and pillaging its neighbours, and making the world much worse for everyone else, except your billionaire friends. Is this how you planned on making America great again?&lt;/p></description></item><item><title>Why european safeguards strengthen democracy - A response to Vance</title><link>https://ulveon.net/p/2025-02-16-why-european-safeguards-strengthen-democracy-a-response-to-vance/</link><pubDate>Sun, 16 Feb 2025 20:41:27 +0100</pubDate><guid>https://ulveon.net/p/2025-02-16-why-european-safeguards-strengthen-democracy-a-response-to-vance/</guid><description>&lt;p>Dear JD Vance, your recent speech at the Munich Security Conference on 14th February 2025 concerns me, and you made several points I would like to address individually.&lt;/p>
228. <p>Your speech is full of lies, and has a profoundly unethical undertone. Frankly, I am already deeply disappointed with how Elon Musk has been behaving in the past few years, and this is my first impression of you. Not a positive one, for sure!</p>
229. <h2 id="romanian-elections">Romanian elections</h2>
230. <blockquote>
231. <p>I was struck that a former European commissioner went on television recently and sounded delighted that the Romanian government had just annulled an entire election. - JD Vance</p>
232. </blockquote>
233. <p>Mr. Vance, it appears you are unaware of why this happened, so I’m happy to explain. As <a class="link" href="https://theconversation.com/why-romanias-election-was-annulled-and-what-happens-next-245779" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
234. >The Conversation</a> [<a class="link" href="https://archive.is/20250216200529/https://theconversation.com/why-romanias-election-was-annulled-and-what-happens-next-245779" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
235. >archived version</a>] reports:</p>
236. <blockquote>
237. <p>The Romanian constitutional court annulled the country’s presidential election on December 6.</p>
238. </blockquote>
239. <blockquote>
240. <p>Romania’s current president, Klaus Iohannis, declassified five intelligence files related to the campaign investigation. One document indicated that 25,000 pro-Georgescu TikTok accounts became highly active two weeks before the first-round vote. Nearly 800 of these accounts had been created in 2016 and remained largely dormant until the election.</p>
241. </blockquote>
242. <blockquote>
243. <p>Romanian law requires that all electoral campaign expenditures be declared. However, Georgescu officially declared zero campaign expenses and when presented with the evidence he upheld this claim, insisting he does not know Peșchir.</p>
244. </blockquote>
245. <p>Of relevance from these excerpts, please note that this order was given by the Romanian Constitutional Court.</p>
246. <p>I’m sure you agree that the Constitution is the country’s most important legal document. Many European nations have a dedicated court tasked with interpreting and defending the Constitution, operating independently of the legislative, executive, and ordinary judicial branches. While annulling an election is certainly a worrisome and unprecedented moment in Romanian history, there was complete rigour and due process from start to finish.</p>
247. <p>In this case, the Romanian Constitutional Court had evidence of election interference through TikTok, <a class="link" href="https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/presidential-actions/executive-order-addressing-threat-posed-tiktok/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
248. >the same app Donald Trump wanted to ban a little over 4 years ago</a> [<a class="link" href="https://archive.is/20250120030710/https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/presidential-actions/executive-order-addressing-threat-posed-tiktok/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
249. >archived version</a>]. This was, of course, <a class="link" href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/application-of-protecting-americans-from-foreign-adversary-controlled-applications-act-to-tiktok/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
250. >paused for 75 days</a> [<a class="link" href="https://archive.is/20250121045941/https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/application-of-protecting-americans-from-foreign-adversary-controlled-applications-act-to-tiktok/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
251. >archived version</a>] soon after Donald Trump took office in 2025 for reasons nobody can understand.</p>
252. <p>Mr. Vance, I understand you might not be familiar with what due process looks like, but I feel it necessary to remind you of the <a class="link" href="https://campaignlegal.org/results-lawsuits-regarding-2020-elections" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
253. >several lawsuits</a> [<a class="link" href="https://archive.is/20240108141553/https://campaignlegal.org/results-lawsuits-regarding-2020-elections" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
254. >archived version</a>] that were started as a result of Donald Trump losing the election, and all of them ended up dismissed. Regrettably, <a class="link" href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/nov/05/trump-musk-election-voter-fraud-misinformation" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
255. >your party did it again during the 2024 elections</a> [<a class="link" href="https://archive.is/20241108132423/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/nov/05/trump-musk-election-voter-fraud-misinformation" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
256. >archived version</a>], repeating the same playbook and claiming election fraud even before the results were in. In these examples, the lies promoted by Donald Trump and his team are not due process, while dismissing the baseless accusations and unmerited lawsuits constitute legal rigour and due process.</p>
257. <p>May I suggest you learn about European politics and democracy before attempting to educate Romanians on when and how an election can be annulled, Mr. Vance?</p>
258. <h2 id="german-elections-and-afd">German elections and AfD</h2>
259. <blockquote>
260. <p>He warned that if things don’t go to plan, the very same thing could happen in Germany too. - JD Vance</p>
261. </blockquote>
262. <p>Indeed, Mr. Vance; In 2024, <a class="link" href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-69003733" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
263. >a German court stated AfD is suspected of extremism</a> [<a class="link" href="https://archive.is/20240513235945/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-69003733" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
264. >archived version</a>]. Again - this is a court, not a political prosecution. Given your political affiliations, it’s understandable that you disagree with this German court, but the undertone of your sentence seems to imply that Europe annulls elections because citizens “vote wrong”.</p>
265. <p>AfD might very well be the biggest test of German democracy since Adolf Hitler took power. After World War II, Europe, along with US, went to great extents to safeguard and protect European democracies and avoid something like this repeating. The EU was also created to bridge and tie European economies so that a future German invasion would also economically hurt the aggressors. <a class="link" href="https://www.adl.org/resources/backgrounder/alternative-germany-afd-party-what-you-need-know" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
266. >Their ties to nazism are of great concern</a> [<a class="link" href="https://archive.is/20250215064507/https://www.adl.org/resources/backgrounder/alternative-germany-afd-party-what-you-need-know" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
267. >archived version</a>].
268. Mr. Vance, your country fought and defeated the nazis. How do you come to terms with the fact that AfD and their nazi associations have such a strong support from Elon Musk, one of the most influential and powerful men in America right now?</p>
269. <p>You mention democracy, listening to the people, and free speech. But conveniently seem to forget that includes the right to protest. And <a class="link" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024%E2%80%932025_German_anti-extremism_protests" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
270. >Germans have been protesting against AfD in the thousands</a>. Is this not democracy, Mr. Vance? Is this not free speech? Or are you afraid of protesters?</p>
271. <h2 id="democratic-values">Democratic values</h2>
272. <blockquote>
273. <p>We must do more than talk about democratic values. We must live them. - JD Vance</p>
274. </blockquote>
275. <p>I agree. Defending democracy is extremely important, and that’s why I find it concerning that a country with such a poor democratic record is pretending to educate us Europeans.</p>
276. <p>The <a class="link" href="https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/democracy-index-eiu" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
277. >Global Change Data Lab ranks American democracy as weaker than that of Germany, the UK, and Canada</a>.</p>
278. <p>I invite you to take notes from Germany, Sweden, United Kingdom, Ireland, Spain, France, or the Netherlands, all with higher scores and better respected democratic institutions compared to the United States of America.</p>
279. <h2 id="social-media-and-radicalisation">Social media and radicalisation</h2>
280. <blockquote>
281. <p>I look to Brussels, where EU Commission commissars warned citizens that they intend to shut down social media during times of civil unrest: the moment they spot what they’ve judged to be ‘hateful content’. - JD Vance</p>
282. </blockquote>
283. <p>I agree; this is of great concern. And so does the DoJ. The American National Institute of Justice and the US Department of Justice sponsored a paper titled <a class="link" href="https://www.ojp.gov/pdffiles1/nij/305797.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
284. >The role of the Internet and social media on radicalisation</a> [<a class="link" href="https://archive.is/20250216200813/https://www.ojp.gov/pdffiles1/nij/305797.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
285. >archived version</a>].</p>
286. <p>Is this what you refer to when you stated the greatest threat to Europe “comes from within”? Or would you, instead, have Europe run a hate-speech-first platform like what <a class="link" href="https://www.euronews.com/next/2025/02/13/hate-speech-on-x-now-50-higher-under-elon-musks-leadership-new-study-finds" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
287. >Elon Musk has done for America</a> [<a class="link" href="https://archive.is/20250216200831/https://www.euronews.com/next/2025/02/13/hate-speech-on-x-now-50-higher-under-elon-musks-leadership-new-study-finds" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
288. >archived version</a>]?</p>
289. <p>Nevertheless, Donald Trump is very quick to call things “fake news”. Does that not concern you?</p>
290. <h2 id="praying-is-illegal">Praying is illegal</h2>
291. <blockquote>
292. <p>This last October, just a few months ago, the Scottish government began distributing letters to citizens whose houses lay within so-called safe access zones, warning them that even private prayer within their own homes may amount to breaking the law. - JD Vance</p>
293. </blockquote>
294. <p>I’m not even going to entertain this statement, Mr. Vance. <a class="link" href="https://uk.news.yahoo.com/jd-vance-prayer-abortion-buffer-zone-scotland-194430824.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
295. >You’re a liar</a> [<a class="link" href="https://archive.is/20250216200849/https://uk.news.yahoo.com/jd-vance-prayer-abortion-buffer-zone-scotland-194430824.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
296. >archived version</a>]. This is highly unethical behaviour coming from a Vice President who, a few minutes ago, was trying to lecture the entire European Union on democracy. Do better.</p>
297. <h2 id="free-speech-is-under-attack">Free speech is under attack</h2>
298. <blockquote>
299. <p>Free speech, I fear, is in retreat - JD Vance</p>
300. </blockquote>
301. <p>Indeed! We learn from our mistakes, JD Vance. Fortunately, I’ve already written about this: <a class="link" href="https://ulveon.net/p/2024-01-10-free-speech-is-not-a-noble-goal-to-pursue/" >Free speech is not a noble goal to pursue</a>.</p>
302. <p>My opinion on the matter is clear, but Mr. Vance, did you know that in 2017, several States in USA were considering <a class="link" href="https://www.nacdl.org/Article/April2017-FromthePresidentCriminalizingt" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
303. >criminalising protesting</a> [<a class="link" href="https://archive.is/20250216200914/https://www.nacdl.org/Article/April2017-FromthePresidentCriminalizingt" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
304. >archived version</a>]?</p>
305. <p>Given this background, and additionally <a class="link" href="https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2025-01-26/trump-free-speech-executive-order-critics-respond" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
306. >considering Donald Trump’s track record on attacking and undermining free speech</a> [<a class="link" href="https://archive.is/20250131203400/https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2025-01-26/trump-free-speech-executive-order-critics-respond" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
307. >archived version</a>], you seeming to imply that free speech is under attack in Europe is ironic.</p>
308. <h2 id="what-does-europe-stand-for">What does Europe stand for?</h2>
309. <blockquote>
310. <p>But let me also ask you, how will you even begin to think through the kinds of budgeting questions if we don’t know what it is that we are defending in the first place? […] What is the positive vision that animates this shared security compact that we all believe is so important? - JD Vance</p>
311. </blockquote>
312. <p>Mr. Vance, I must reject in the strongest possible terms the implication that we don’t know what we’re defending or what we want in Europe. You might not know, because you’re not European. But we certainly know very well what we’re defending.</p>
313. <p>In Europe we stand for:</p>
314. <ul>
315. <li>Equality across genders and sexual orientations</li>
316. <li>Collective decision-making including public transit, healthcare, world-leading education</li>
317. <li>Law and order with strong democratic institutions</li>
318. <li>Shared prosperity: the ones with the most can help the ones who have the least - at all levels</li>
319. <li>Human rights</li>
320. <li>Worker rights</li>
321. <li>Fighting foreign interference, including Russia, China, and the United States of America</li>
322. <li>Renewable energy and sustainability</li>
323. <li>Strong national cultures and traditions enriching each other</li>
324. <li>Accessibility and human dignity</li>
325. </ul>
326. <p>Let me repeat the question back to you: <strong>what</strong> does the United States stand for? What does the new Trump term mean for ordinary Americans? Will you lower their grocery bills? Will housing and healthcare soon become affordable? Or is this only about lining the pockets of the ultra-rich?</p>
327. <h2 id="america-cant-help-you">America can’t help you</h2>
328. <blockquote>
329. <p>If you’re running in fear of your own voters, there is nothing America can do for you. - JD Vance</p>
330. </blockquote>
331. <p>Rest assured, Mr. Vance, there is nothing America can or has to do for Europe. We are not afraid of “our own voters”, although you might be afraid of terrifying terms like “woke”, “LGBTQ+”, or perhaps “women’s rights”. Indeed, we hold a sincere belief that intrinsically undemocratic forces, like AfD in Germany, cannot be a part of a free, fair, and just democratic system. Trust me, Europeans, especially Germans, know all too well what this means. <a class="link" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_involvement_in_regime_change" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
332. >You Americans have more experience organising foreign coup d’états</a>, not so much experiencing it yourselves, especially in the face of the failed Capitol attempt.</p>
333. <h2 id="putting-your-opponents-in-jail">Putting your opponents in jail</h2>
334. <blockquote>
335. <p>And of course, we know that very well. In America, you cannot win a democratic mandate by censoring your opponents or putting them in jail. - JD Vance</p>
336. </blockquote>
337. <p>Indeed, the American way to win elections is more about spending billions of dollars in election campaigns and then funding propaganda machines to steer voting intention one way or the other.
338. But I hope you didn’t forget about the times when America did incarcerate communists, like when <a class="link" href="https://www.vintti.com/blog/the-smith-act-law-explained" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
339. >members of the Communist Party of USA were found guilty under the Smith Act</a> [<a class="link" href="http://archive.today/2025.02.16-202445/https://www.vintti.com/blog/the-smith-act-law-explained" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
340. >archived version</a>].
341. Then again, because of your personal biases, you may still agree that this was the correct thing to do, which may not sound hypocritical to anyone who didn’t know about the Smith Act, but I don’t want to hear anymore how prosecuting and incarcerating dissidents weakens democratic institutions from a country that does the same thing.</p>
342. <h2 id="mass-migration">Mass migration</h2>
343. <blockquote>
344. <p>And of all the pressing challenges that the nations represented here face, I believe there is nothing more urgent than mass migration. […] And we know the situation. It didn’t materialise in a vacuum. It’s the result of a series of conscious decisions made by politicians all over the continent, and others across the world, over the span of a decade. - JD Vance</p>
345. </blockquote>
346. <p>Mr. Vance, do you know where these people come from? Countries like Pakistan, Iraq, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Algeria, and Syria.</p>
347. <p>What do these countries have in common? They’ve all gone through wars and horrible tragedies in these last 20 years. In some cases, it was America and NATO allies bombing and destroying homes in the name of democracy.</p>
348. <p>Where do you suppose these people can go once their towns have been destroyed, their families often missing members, and they have no job, no education, and no opportunities in life? Should we just leave them to starve and die in their home countries? I guess the answer is a very clear and resounding yes <a class="link" href="https://apnews.com/article/usaid-foreign-aid-freeze-trump-peter-marocco-8253d7dda766df89e10390c1645e78aa" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
349. >given Trump wants to eliminate USAID</a> [<a class="link" href="https://archive.is/20250203231523/https://apnews.com/article/usaid-foreign-aid-freeze-trump-peter-marocco-8253d7dda766df89e10390c1645e78aa" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
350. >archived version</a>].</p>
351. <h2 id="brexit">Brexit</h2>
352. <blockquote>
353. <p>But you know what they did vote for? In England, they voted for Brexit, and agree or disagree, they voted for it. And more and more all over Europe, they’re voting for political leaders who promise to put an end to out-of-control migration. - JD Vance</p>
354. </blockquote>
355. <p>Your weakest argument yet, Mr. Vance. Brexit has been a catastrophe. The British economy is the weakest it’s been in decades, the concerns of the people regarding trade and prices haven’t been alleviated, and most remarkably of all, <a class="link" href="https://theconversation.com/election-2024-the-uks-migration-situation-in-five-charts-232190" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
356. >immigration has shot up dramatically, mostly from non-EU immigrants</a> [<a class="link" href="https://archive.is/20250216201745/https://theconversation.com/election-2024-the-uks-migration-situation-in-five-charts-232190" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
357. >archived version</a>], which are generally culturally less aligned than immigrants coming from the European continent, causing further problems.</p>
358. <p><img src="https://ulveon.net/p/2025-02-16-why-european-safeguards-strengthen-democracy-a-response-to-vance/brexit_polls.png"
359. width="1089"
360. height="636"
361. srcset="https://ulveon.net/p/2025-02-16-why-european-safeguards-strengthen-democracy-a-response-to-vance/brexit_polls_hu13345093417212826958.png 480w, https://ulveon.net/p/2025-02-16-why-european-safeguards-strengthen-democracy-a-response-to-vance/brexit_polls_hu8609134765260518836.png 1024w"
362. loading="lazy"
363. alt="Brexit polls since 2020 consistently show British people want to rejoin the EU"
364. class="gallery-image"
365. data-flex-grow="171"
366. data-flex-basis="410px"
367. >&lt;/p></description></item><item><title>Fediverse and the consequences of decentralised moderation</title><link>https://ulveon.net/p/2025-01-21-fediverse-and-the-consequences-of-decentralised-moderation/</link><pubDate>Tue, 21 Jan 2025 22:01:13 +0100</pubDate><guid>https://ulveon.net/p/2025-01-21-fediverse-and-the-consequences-of-decentralised-moderation/</guid><description>&lt;p>Most furries who are vaguely involved in tech have heard of the &amp;ldquo;Fediverse&amp;rdquo; or, at minimum, Mastodon, the most popular Fediverse software stack implementation.&lt;/p>
368. <p>There is a lot to be said about Fediverse, and it is a fantastic initiative from a technological point of view. With Fediverse software, you can build communities around a topic of interest and optionally interact with other users in other instances. It lets you own your data (at least from a server operator perspective), which is clearly very different from Twitter. The communities around Fediverse instances are tight-knit, often focused on technology and topics related to minorities or marginalised communities, like LGBT or sex workers.</p>
369. <p>It is also great because, as a server operator, you can choose who you allow to sign up for your instance. This makes it impossible to get banned for spurious reasons unless you don’t actually own and run the instance you signed up for, which shows the downsides of Fediverse.</p>
370. <blockquote>
371. <p>Please note: Most of this post was written before Bluesky had any relevance and certainly much before Bluesky introduced federation.</p>
372. </blockquote>
373. <h2 id="running-a-server-is-free">Running a server is free!</h2>
374. <p>Or so would most Fediverse admins say. For Mastodon, the <a class="link" href="https://docs.joinmastodon.org/user/run-your-own/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
375. >documentation</a> [<a class="link" href="https://archive.is/20220428140139/https://docs.joinmastodon.org/user/run-your-own/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
376. >archived version</a>] doesn’t make it very clear what resources you need, but the cost is certainly not zero. If you search on the Internet, you will find the answer varies.</p>
377. <p>Of course, the more users your instance hosts, the more resources you will be required to provide regarding memory, storage, and computing power. You will also need to send e-mail for sign-up verification, which can be <a class="link" href="https://www.fastmail.com/blog/pros-and-cons-of-hosting-your-own-email/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
378. >extraordinarily complex</a> [<a class="link" href="https://archive.is/20230821202323/https://www.fastmail.com/blog/pros-and-cons-of-hosting-your-own-email/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
379. >archived version</a>] for someone without years of experience working with server software. You will need a public IP address, probably of the IPv4 kind, because of connectivity problems regarding IPv4-only servers, and you will also need to dedicate time and effort to ensuring your software is up to date and with the latest security fixes applied. You will need DDoS protection, and you will most certainly need to dedicate time to moderation. Like it or not, eventually, spammers will find their way into your server, either because of open registration or through hacked accounts. You must respond to reports on time. Failure to do so can lead you to get defederated from the rest of the network.</p>
380. <h2 id="defederated">Defederated?</h2>
381. <p>Some servers have aggressive policies. For example, one notorious furry Mastodon server: <code>vulpine.club</code> had <a class="link" href="https://archive.ph/xKD3t" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
382. >rules</a> that prohibited sharing copyrighted content, child pornography, gore, or nazi content, which is fair enough. But it also explicitly forbids the current President of the United States of America to sign up, a somewhat questionable rule.</p>
383. <p>It is okay to weed out undesirable people on the server you run and pay for. And I agree nazis and other hatred-oriented ideologies should be purged from the Internet. After all, it is your private property, and nobody is entitled to it. But things get a bit more complicated when you also apply these rules to other servers.</p>
384. <p>There are multiple ways to block in Fediverse. You can either block a specific user from your personal account or an entire domain from your personal account.</p>
385. <p>However, instance administrators have additional tools to moderate their instances and how others interact with them. Among them, they can remove instances from the federated timeline (for example, for massive instances with tens of thousands of users), force all remote content from an instance to be hidden behind a content warning (for example, for pornographic instances), make the posts in a given instance invisible to users until users manually follow people from said server, and the most extreme full-instance ban that applies to all users on the remote instance for all users in the current instance. The last one is highly problematic, and individual users cannot undo it.</p>
386. <p>While Fedi has powerful moderation tools, if abused, they can also have a devastating impact and further isolate already marginalised communities.</p>
387. <p>Let me elaborate:</p>
388. <p>Hypothetically, let’s say I run an instance called <code>a.social</code>, and there is another instance such as <code>b.social</code>. My rules explicitly forbid nazis and right-wing extremism.</p>
389. <h3 id="situation-1-what-if-the-rules-arent-compatible">Situation 1: What if the rules aren’t compatible?</h3>
390. <p>It could be that <code>b.social</code> is a tiny instance for someone and their very close friends. For this reason, it is possible <code>b.social</code> does not have comprehensive rules. <code>b.social</code> could have a simple set of rules such as “Live and let live. Be a good human being”, and that might be enough for <code>b.social</code>‘s admin. But what if <code>a.social</code> disagrees with it? What if <code>a.social</code>‘s admin thinks the rules should explicitly rule out nazis? From this situation, it is not immediately clear whether <code>b.social</code> does indeed forbid nazis from signing up to their instance. In reality, many admins would err on the side of caution and simply pre-emptively block <code>b.social</code> due to an “incompatible Code of Conduct”. Unfortunately, this is more common than you probably think. Again, this does not make <code>b.social</code> a right-wing haven, but without the consent of either <code>a.social</code> and <code>b.social</code> current and future users, both instances are now isolated from each other.</p>
391. <p>Therefore, it is worth questioning whether we should grant an instance administrator this much power, as they face few consequences when they misuse their power.</p>
392. <h3 id="situation-2-a-user-in-your-instance-is-a-nazi">Situation 2: A user in your instance is a nazi</h3>
393. <p>Accusing a user on <code>a.social</code> of being a nazi or other kind of political extremist could lead to another similar situation developing.</p>
394. <p>An accusation is not automatically true. Due process and the presumption of innocence are fundamental to Western societies and the modern legal system. The ancient Roman legal doctrine stated, <em>“Ei incumbit probatio qui dicit, non qui negat”</em>—’ The burden of proof is on the one who declares, not on one who denies.’ This principle was pivotal in shaping English common law, which robustly supports the maxim that ‘an individual is innocent until proven guilty.’</p>
395. <p>As a society, we have decided that it is preferable to allow some guilty individuals to remain free rather than to incarcerate the innocent. This decision implies that false positives (wrongful convictions) are more harmful than false negatives (unpunished crimes). Although there are always trade-offs, most people, including myself, consider this stance a reasonable compromise.</p>
396. <p>In the Fediverse, when an instance faces accusations of hate crimes or worse, ideologically aligned instances often react by blocking and targeting the accused without due process. While understandable, given that Fediverse operators maintain autonomy and are not obligated to any external authority, such actions can fragment the network. An overly cautious approach to moderation might also restrict users’ ability to connect with others, potentially isolating them from friends.</p>
397. <h3 id="situation-3-a-questionable-post">Situation 3: A questionable post?</h3>
398. <p>There could also be the case of a user in <code>a.social</code> complaining about an individual post in <code>b.social</code>. This post could violate the code of conduct of either instance or in bad taste. It is a tricky situation because, as an instance administrator, you would probably have to talk to <code>b.social</code>’s administrator and ask about this user and this specific post.</p>
399. <p>Suppose the issue is not resolved amicably or the remote administrator refuses to reply for a long time. In that case, it is up to you to moderate the remote server, which also places a heavy burden on you as a Fediverse moderator, as you have to moderate both your server and remote servers.</p>
400. <h2 id="data-portability">Data portability</h2>
401. <p>When I mention these Fediverse shortcomings, people quickly point out that if you are ever banned from a server, you can go somewhere else or run your server. Which is only partially true:</p>
402. <p><strong>Being banned from a server doesn’t mean you are allowed to take your data with you</strong>: While Mastodon’s default behaviour is to allow banned users to access a limited subset of functionalities that allow, among other things, to export your data, this does not mean that an admin can’t simply invalidate your login information or even completely delete your account along with all posts and social graph. So you retain access and ownership only for as long as you continue saving backups regularly.</p>
403. <p><strong>Only some data can be exported and re-imported</strong>: Most notably, Mastodon doesn’t allow exporting your post history or muted words. You can, however, import followers, follows, muted users, and blocked users, but really not much else.</p>
404. <p><strong>Account migration is not available once you are banned</strong>: Fediverse has a mechanism that allows you to migrate accounts and have your old account seamlessly redirected somewhere. This allows your followers to follow your new account transparently without them having to search and follow you specifically on your new user. But this is impossible once you are banned; you must start from scratch.</p>
405. <p>Of course, this is in addition to the fact that telling a user to “simply migrate somewhere else” is not helpful, constitutes victim-blaming, and shifts away the responsibility of moderation and proportionality when it’s precisely the moderator who caused this situation to develop in the first place.</p>
406. <h2 id="massive-adoption-barriers">Massive adoption barriers</h2>
407. <p>It is a controversial topic, as many Fediverse users believe that choosing an instance is very simple. While signing up is relatively simple, and there’s even a <a class="link" href="https://joinmastodon.org/servers" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
408. >website</a> [<a class="link" href="https://archive.is/20240217162215/https://joinmastodon.org/servers" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
409. >archived version</a>] highlighting the different servers you can join, including topic- and region-specific servers, the reality is more nuanced. As not all servers are equal, moderation policies, software stack, update policy, and even external factors such as what servers are blocking the server you want to register to, and possibly what servers your friends are, you may sign up for an instance you like only to find out after a few months using it that a few instances you are interested in are blocking your server. And often, there is no explanation or evidence anywhere for this block. <code>@MissingThePt@mastodon.social</code> puts it well in a <a class="link" href="@MissingThePt@mastodon.social" >humorous post</a> [<a class="link" href="https://archive.is/20230705141347/https://mastodon.social/@MissingThePt/109817611656635863" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
410. >archived version</a>] that is not any less true:</p>
411. <blockquote>
412. <p>Choosing a Mastodon instance is easy once you understand each instance’s values, customs, belief systems, and inter-instance alliances and feuds dating back 1,000 years.</p>
413. </blockquote>
414. <p>As a new user without any background information on the most significant instances, who runs them, and what the general topic and community are like, you might be tempted to sign up for one of the many widely blocked instances.</p>
415. <h2 id="identity">Identity</h2>
416. <p>The Internet is primarily an anonymous service. On Fediverse, you are generally not required to provide your government ID to sign up for a server. You can create tens or hundreds of accounts in different servers with different names; nobody will know the same person owns them unless you explicitly announce it.</p>
417. <p>This anonimity also means that the identity of anyone signing up to your server cannot be verified. For example, I (used to) have around four accounts on different Fediverse servers under my name, A* Ulven. If someone were to sign up to another server, there would be no way to check whether that’s actually under my control. This has implications for spam and can cause reputational damage to the affected person.</p>
418. <h2 id="fediverse-toxicity">Fediverse toxicity</h2>
419. <p>Now, this is a subjective matter, but I do believe the culture of <a class="link" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benevolent_dictator_for_life" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
420. >BDFL</a> promulgated by Fediverse through anyone and everyone having the ability to run an instance and retain complete control over it is intoxicating many administrators with a sort of sense of purpose that seems to include moderating other people’s social experiences. This is a slippery slope, and this kind of moderation must have checks and balances and not simply be a matter of the whims of a given moderator on a particular day. Unfortunately, this is presently not the case.</p>
421. <h2 id="the-fediverse-moderation-model-is-hilariously-unscalable">The Fediverse moderation model is hilariously unscalable</h2>
422. <p>Another complicating matter is that every instance is left to fend for themselves. If you run a large instance with hundreds of users, you will likely find trustworthy peers to help you moderate your server’s content and ban undesirable users. Still, you will also have to use these moderation resources to moderate foreign content from other servers. Because of this, smaller, less-staffed instances are at a much higher risk of moderator burnout and ineffective moderation.</p>
423. <p>For this, server admins take many shortcuts, including defederating entire servers upon the discovery of a particularly inflammatory post on a foreign server, copying moderation lists from other admins, sometimes indiscriminately banning servers that might otherwise have been wrongly banned, and further making the Fediverse experience fragmented and miserable for everyone involved.</p>
424. <h2 id="spam-is-a-very-real-problem">Spam is a very real problem</h2>
425. <p>I briefly touched on spam concerns in the previous text, but this is an extremely serious matter that should have every single developer, server administrator, and user screaming from the top of their lungs and working extremely quickly for a solution.</p>
426. <p>I have been running an e-mail server for over twenty years, including production servers sending millions of e-mails a week, personal projects, and small-scale hosting.</p>
427. <p>Now, Wikipedia has an entire article dedicated specifically to <a class="link" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-spam_techniques" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
428. >anti-spam techniques</a>, mostly focusing on e-mail, but many of the features listed here can be used or adapted for Fediverse.</p>
429. <p>Fediverse will inevitably have to use a combination of techniques, including an aggregated score (similar to anti-spam software like SpamAssassin, which looks for specific keywords and behaviours in spam messages), authentication, and sender reputation lists.</p>
430. <p>Mastodon, the most popular Fediverse software stack on the Internet scale, is still in its infancy, gaining popularity around 2017 and massive user growth in 2021 and 2022 due to events surrounding Twitter and moderation and privacy policies. E-mail spam has been a topic for nearly thirty decades now, and it’s a cat-and-mouse game whereby e-mail server operators deploy techniques that spammers eventually find how to circumvent. Unfortunately, I don’t believe a different way to tackle this problem exists. If so, e-mail spam would have been solved decades ago, and Fediverse will ultimately have to face reality and increase anti-spam efforts significantly.</p>
431. <p>This is not a conspiracy theory or a theoretical attack. Several spam waves have already occurred, and they will worsen in intensity and frequency as the network grows in popularity and audience potential.</p>
432. <h2 id="bluesky-is-different">Bluesky is different</h2>
433. <p>You may like, dislike, agree with, or disagree with Bluesky’s design principles, but the authors have taken a different approach to moderation, which I believe is worth exploring.</p>
434. <h3 id="actually-decentralised-moderation">Actually decentralised moderation</h3>
435. <p>Instead of relying on your instance administrator to weed out bad actors, you can subscribe to <a class="link" href="https://bsky.app/moderation/modlists" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
436. >moderation lists</a>. I am not going to recommend any particular list because it is important to trust the person running the moderation list, and this is a very personal matter.</p>
437. <p>Moderation lists allow individuals to moderate and take ownership of their Bluesky experience without being forced to run a server. They can also allow users in other instances to use their list without signing up to their instance.</p>
438. <h3 id="not-actually-decentralised-design">Not actually decentralised design?</h3>
439. <p>I never claimed Bluesky to be perfect or even better than Fediverse. It is different for sure, but some people argue <a class="link" href="https://beige.party/@possibledog/113367977656537478" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
440. >Bluesky is not truly decentralised</a> [<a class="link" href="https://beige.party/@possibledog/113367977656537478" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
441. >archived version</a>]. And I agree with them, but I don’t think the Fediverse decentralisation model is a big deal or even a positive design choice for social media.</p>
442. <p>Yes, decentralisation has many good features, but moderation doesn’t work well with the Fediverse decentralisation model, as shown.</p>
443. <p>This could also be a matter of taste, if you are willing to accept certain tradeoffs.</p>
444. <h2 id="conclusion">Conclusion</h2>
445. <p>This is not a criticism of Fediverse as a software stack, either from a technical or social perspective, but more of a practical demonstration of the drawbacks of decentralised moderation.</p>
446. &lt;p>Moderation is one of the most complex subjects in sociology. This is especially true because the Internet is generally anonymous. Again, this has pros and cons. Among the most significant advantages of an anonymity-by-default approach is protecting minorities and otherwise socially disadvantaged people. But it also has many downsides, such as spam, the severe potential for doxing and character assassination.&lt;/p></description></item><item><title>Retribution or Reintegration: Let's talk about prisons</title><link>https://ulveon.net/p/2025-01-01-retribution-or-reintegration-lets-talk-about-prisons/</link><pubDate>Wed, 01 Jan 2025 21:39:57 +0100</pubDate><guid>https://ulveon.net/p/2025-01-01-retribution-or-reintegration-lets-talk-about-prisons/</guid><description>&lt;p>Plenty has been written about European prisons focused on restorative justice and reintegration. Still, there&amp;rsquo;s insufficient discourse on the implications and interactions between these two very different approaches to justice and order, which is the topic of this post.&lt;/p>
447. <h2 id="background">Background</h2>
448. <p>Many European nations have adopted restorative approaches to justice. While this method is not groundbreaking or new, it has been developing slowly and methodically over many decades, with the earliest references to these methods dating back to around 1980.</p>
449. <h2 id="why-does-punitive-justice-exist">Why Does Punitive Justice Exist?</h2>
450. <p>Western and Abrahamic-influenced cultures have traditionally approached justice intending to impose exemplary punishments for various crimes and transgressions. This concept of punitive justice, which dates back centuries, is based on the idea that by publicly showcasing the consequences criminals face, we can discourage such behaviour in individuals. While the specifics have evolved, we still primarily rely on the same intuitive notions of good and evil.</p>
451. <p>Thankfully, significant progress has been made in the field of justice, with concepts like Human Rights effectively regulating and outlawing practices such as slavery and torture. Today, inmates experience significantly better living conditions compared to 200 years ago. This progress should instil a sense of optimism and a belief in the possibility of further advancements as we continue to research and question our society’s fundamental concepts.</p>
452. <h2 id="what-does-restorative-justice-solve">What does restorative justice solve?</h2>
453. <h3 id="reintegration">Reintegration</h3>
454. <p>The point of reintegration is to remove criminals from a life of crime and bad influences. We attempt to weave this person into the rest of society through reintegration programmes. We give criminals a new life and possibly a new meaning to their lives; in this sense, the prison sentence is sufficiently punitive and miserable that further punishment is unnecessary. Being deprived of freedom is the ultimate punishment, and there’s nothing worse than that.</p>
455. <p>One example is programmes that allow inmates to continue part of their sentence performing community service under supervision. Inmates could be tasked with graffiti removal, street clean-up, staffing food banks, building homeless shelters, and more.</p>
456. <h3 id="upskilling">Upskilling</h3>
457. <p>There are still opportunities for inmates to study in various countries outside Scandinavia. For instance, Spain, Italy, and Argentina offer programs that allow prisoners to pursue university education, often at no cost. Many inmates come from lower socio-economic backgrounds, making finding a job challenging. However, some higher-skilled positions may have more openings. Providing educational opportunities aims to help prisoners transition from a life of crime and secure good jobs that enable them to support themselves and rise above poverty financially.</p>
458. <p>Integrating skilled ex-inmates into high-value-added jobs benefits individuals and can increase GDP, resulting in a positive outcome for everyone.</p>
459. <h3 id="the-costs-of-incarceration">The costs of incarceration</h3>
460. <p>Incarceration involves significant expenses, given the prison staffing costs, as well as the cost of inmates’ meals.</p>
461. <p>The funding and financial structure of prisons vary significantly by country and region. For example: <a class="link" href="https://www.vera.org/publications/price-of-prisons-2015-state-spending-trends/price-of-prisons-2015-state-spending-trends/price-of-prisons-2015-state-spending-trends-prison-spending" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
462. >each inmate can cost more than 50.000 USD</a> [<a class="link" href="https://archive.is/20180607161150/https://www.vera.org/publications/price-of-prisons-2015-state-spending-trends/price-of-prisons-2015-state-spending-trends/price-of-prisons-2015-state-spending-trends-prison-spending" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
463. >archived version</a>]. Some prisons are partially funded by the government, but in many cases, <a class="link" href="https://www.rutgers.edu/news/states-unfairly-burdening-incarcerated-people-pay-stay-fees" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
464. >prisons directly charge inmates</a> [<a class="link" href="https://archive.is/20241227200028/https://www.rutgers.edu/news/states-unfairly-burdening-incarcerated-people-pay-stay-fees" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
465. >archived version</a>] for their accommodation; this is done in a variety of ways, including wage garnishment, seizing employment pensions, tax refunds, and public benefits.</p>
466. <h3 id="repeated-offenders">Repeated offenders</h3>
467. <p>The contrast in recidivism rates, or the tendency for repeated offending, between Denmark and the United States is stark, with Denmark exhibiting a much lower rate. This contrast should invoke a sense of urgency in rethinking our approach to reintegration and rehabilitation. <a class="link" href="https://www.success.com/recidivism-rates/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
468. >A report</a> [<a class="link" href="https://archive.is/0bQrC" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
469. >archived version</a>] found that 82% of American ex-prisoners are re-arrested within 10 years, whereas <a class="link" href="https://massbar.org/publications/section-review/section-review-2019-novemberdecember2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
470. >Danish prisons have a recidivism rate of less than half of that, at around 40%</a> [<a class="link" href="https://archive.is/rUuSm" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
471. >archived version</a>].</p>
472. <p>This contrast shows that American priorities regarding reintegration and rehabilitation differ from Denmark’s.</p>
473. <h3 id="addressing-the-root-cause">Addressing the root cause</h3>
474. <p>Restorative justice presents an opportunity to address the underlying causes of crime, which may help reduce the occurrence of criminal activities and the development of black markets.</p>
475. <p>While victims may not achieve closure through punitive measures such as the death penalty or solitary confinement, restorative justice can improve the prisoner’s life, and leave a positive impact in society.</p>
476. <h3 id="change-and-social-progress">Change and social progress</h3>
477. <p>As I pointed out earlier, there is an inherent expectation in society that violent offenders face harsh penalties and that their human rights and personal integrity are disregarded. Many people feel a natural urge to retaliate against those who have caused harm, as a form of revenge, and it requires significant humility and selflessness to recognise that the most beneficial approach for society in dealing with criminals may not be to inflict harm and abuse but rather to focus on their re-education and rehabilitation.</p>
478. <p>Historically, countries such as Denmark, Norway, and Sweden have abolished the death penalty and practices like forced labour for prisoners. In contrast, other countries, including the United States and Japan, continue to maintain the death penalty and forced labour as part of their legal systems.</p>
479. <h2 id="is-restorative-justice-the-perfect-solution">Is restorative justice the perfect solution?</h2>
480. <p>No. Societies and cultures are complex, and have been developed over centuries. As such, changing a country’s justice system to be more aligned with restorative principles overnight is ineffective and counterproductive.</p>
481. <p>Denmark, for instance, has a distinctly different culture and society than the United States. One key difference is the availability of public services, including education, healthcare, protections for workers’ rights, and social housing.</p>
482. <p>In contrast, the United States of America has bizarre situations such as <a class="link" href="https://endhomelessness.org/blog/employed-and-experiencing-homelessness-what-the-numbers-show/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
483. >homeless people actually being employed</a> [<a class="link" href="https://archive.is/20221113025916/https://endhomelessness.org/blog/employed-and-experiencing-homelessness-what-the-numbers-show/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
484. >archived version</a>], this situation is concerning as it suggests that employment alone is inadequate to ensure stable housing, thereby challenging the notion of “self-made individuals” or the principle that hard work guarantees success.</p>
485. <p>In Denmark, social housing prioritises homeless individuals over those who are already housed, which helps to reduce homelessness. Additionally, homeless people in Denmark have easier access to education and healthcare compared to the US.</p>
486. <p>In this scenario, offering individuals access to education, healthcare, libraries stocked with books, television, and a private room with a single bed—as is standard in a Danish high-security prison—may inadvertently encourage crime rather than dissuade it. This is due to the fact that the majority of the population lacks access to these essential resources.</p>
487. <p>This is an overview of Storstrøm Prison, one of Denmark’s premier high-security facilities.</p>
488. <p><img src="https://ulveon.net/p/2025-01-01-retribution-or-reintegration-lets-talk-about-prisons/Storstroem_0.jpg"
489. width="667"
490. height="1000"
491. srcset="https://ulveon.net/p/2025-01-01-retribution-or-reintegration-lets-talk-about-prisons/Storstroem_0_hu9644197284881986099.jpg 480w, https://ulveon.net/p/2025-01-01-retribution-or-reintegration-lets-talk-about-prisons/Storstroem_0_hu11317825933848075579.jpg 1024w"
492. loading="lazy"
493. alt="Storstrøm Prison cell"
494. class="gallery-image"
495. data-flex-grow="66"
496. data-flex-basis="160px"
497. ></p>
498. <p><img src="https://ulveon.net/p/2025-01-01-retribution-or-reintegration-lets-talk-about-prisons/Storstroem_1.jpg"
499. width="1500"
500. height="1000"
501. srcset="https://ulveon.net/p/2025-01-01-retribution-or-reintegration-lets-talk-about-prisons/Storstroem_1_hu11881707138728688358.jpg 480w, https://ulveon.net/p/2025-01-01-retribution-or-reintegration-lets-talk-about-prisons/Storstroem_1_hu17225420566092317337.jpg 1024w"
502. loading="lazy"
503. alt="Storstrøm Prison at night"
504. class="gallery-image"
505. data-flex-grow="150"
506. data-flex-basis="360px"
507. ></p>
508. <p><img src="https://ulveon.net/p/2025-01-01-retribution-or-reintegration-lets-talk-about-prisons/Storstroem_2.jpg"
509. width="1500"
510. height="1000"
511. srcset="https://ulveon.net/p/2025-01-01-retribution-or-reintegration-lets-talk-about-prisons/Storstroem_2_hu716538154921563366.jpg 480w, https://ulveon.net/p/2025-01-01-retribution-or-reintegration-lets-talk-about-prisons/Storstroem_2_hu14417441490692570774.jpg 1024w"
512. loading="lazy"
513. alt="Storstrøm Prisons recreational areas"
514. class="gallery-image"
515. data-flex-grow="150"
516. data-flex-basis="360px"
517. ></p>
518. <p>See it for yourself: <a class="link" href="https://www.cfmoller.com/p/Storstroem-Prison-i2730.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
519. >https://www.cfmoller.com/p/Storstroem-Prison-i2730.html</a> [<a class="link" href="https://archive.is/Qkald" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
520. >archived version</a>]</p>
521. <p>Rather than speculating, there’s evidence of people committing crimes intending to go to prison. Famously, <a class="link" href="https://www.bbc.com/news/stories-47033704" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
522. >this happens in Japan</a> [<a class="link" href="https://archive.is/20210709013341/https://www.bbc.com/news/stories-47033704" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
523. >archived version</a>], despite Japan not having a restorative justice system, and still being one of the countries that maintain the death penalty.</p>
524. <blockquote>
525. <p>He wanted somewhere to live free of charge, even if it was behind bars.</p>
526. </blockquote>
527. <p>But of course, there can be many other reasons, and it would be unwise to separate the justice system from how the rest of society works.</p>
528. <h2 id="is-punitive-justice-better-in-certain-contexts">Is Punitive Justice Better in Certain Contexts?</h2>
529. <p>Absolutely not. There is no situation in which punitive justice would improve society, criminals, or victims. Let me be clear: punitive justice should never be considered a viable solution to crime.</p>
530. <p>Despite the widespread use of often ineffective punitive justice worldwide, why would nations still hesitate to adopt restorative justice, even though it presents a more compassionate alternative to traditional justice systems?</p>
531. <h3 id="mindset">Mindset</h3>
532. <p>While it may seem contradictory to argue that restorative justice is not the perfect solution for every country and asserting that punitive justice is not better in any context, my point is that justice and society are inseparable concepts. Although restorative justice is generally more effective, implementing it requires significant preparatory work. It will likely take a generation or two to prepare society for such a radical change. The challenges associated with restorative justice stem not from the approach itself but from how society is organised and whether there is a genuine commitment to improving certain aspects.</p>
533. <p>The main argument against restorative justice pertains to mindset and the political and social viability of this approach. Individuals who have consistently followed societal rules and who grew up in environments that emphasise severe punishments for criminal behaviour have likely internalised these lessons, which discourages them from engaging in criminal activities.</p>
534. <p>Significantly altering the justice system could undermine its foundations and surprise those raised in a punitive justice environment.</p>
535. <h3 id="indentured-servitude">Indentured servitude</h3>
536. <p>Slavery hasn’t been abolished in the US. We call it different names nowadays, but forced labour is still a reality in many prisons. If this shocks you, read about how <a class="link" href="https://calmatters.org/politics/elections/2024/11/california-election-result-proposition-6-fails/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
537. >California voted against banning forced labour in prisons</a> [<a class="link" href="https://archive.is/20241119163139/https://calmatters.org/politics/elections/2024/11/california-election-result-proposition-6-fails/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
538. >archived version</a>].</p>
539. <p>This is excellent news for enslavers- eh, prison owners, seeing as some prisons are for-profit businesses. These prisoners serve as cheap (or even free) labour for companies such as <a class="link" href="https://apnews.com/article/prison-to-plate-inmate-labor-investigation-alabama-3b2c7e414c681ba545dc1d0ad30bfaf5" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
540. >McDonald’s</a> [<a class="link" href="https://archive.is/20241220180319/https://apnews.com/article/prison-to-plate-inmate-labor-investigation-alabama-3b2c7e414c681ba545dc1d0ad30bfaf5" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
541. >archived version</a>].</p>
542. <p>It makes sense, too. Sometimes, these prisoners are allowed to work, receive a (small) salary, and sometimes get a reduced sentence. This means prisoners perform work for a company that profits from them. Additionally, much like slaves, prisoners are unlikely to strike or negotiate salaries because prisoners are encouraged to be on their best behaviour, which allows them to leave prison earlier than their allotted sentence.</p>
543. <p>Finally, this use of prisoners in for-profit companies will either increase profit margins for the companies using them due to the significantly lower cost of hiring prisoners or possibly reduce prices for consumers.</p>
544. <p>If you don’t care about welfare, ethics, and society, and you only care about money, this seems like a perfect tradeoff. Capitalism will generally prefer short-term profits and gratification instead of sustainability and long-term planning.</p>
545. <h3 id="housing-living-standards-healthcare-education-and-the-cost-of-living">Housing, living standards, healthcare, education, and the cost of living</h3>
546. <p>Restorative justice requires high social standards for non-prisoners as preparation work for such change. If healthcare, education, and housing cost money and there are no social programmes for access to these basic needs in modern society, going to jail will certainly ruin any job prospects and any future you might have. It will make employment difficult and risky for employers and (therefore) heavily discourage non-criminals from engaging in crime, with the undesired downside of also discouraging and difficulting ex-criminals to reintegrate with the rest of society.</p>
547. <h2 id="who-is-to-say">Who is to say?</h2>
548. <p>The societies where these methods are applied. It is impossible to engage in thorough restorative processes in countries where human rights are lacking, housing is difficult to access, and living standards are low. It is also not possible to apply these methods in countries like the US, where everything is a matter of money, and citizens are afforded few to no accessible housing, education, or healthcare programmes.</p>
549. &lt;p>Prisons must be a bad experience for criminals. Worse than not being jailed, of course. But in a society where people aren&amp;rsquo;t even guaranteed a place to live or the right to life-saving surgery, integrating these concepts in prisons would effectively make prisoners live better than the average citizen, which would be socially unacceptable and politically unpopular.&lt;/p></description></item><item><title>Operational Security: Staying safe online</title><link>https://ulveon.net/p/2024-10-05-operational-security-staying-safe-online/</link><pubDate>Sat, 05 Oct 2024 23:39:19 +0100</pubDate><guid>https://ulveon.net/p/2024-10-05-operational-security-staying-safe-online/</guid><description>&lt;p>The Internet is a dangerous place. Especially if you are LGBTQ, furry, have unconventional sexual tendencies (CNC, BDSM, FinDom, etc) or are a member of a religious or racial minority group.&lt;/p>
550. <p>The Internet was not designed with safety or security in mind. In its ARPANET beginnings, many systems didn’t even have passwords because only privileged users were supposed to access them. As such, privacy and security features are often little more than layers added on top of aging protocols, like HTTPS is just SSL applied on top of HTTP.</p>
551. <p>As such, the Internet has, for years, consisted of open access, anonymity, and censorship resistance at the cost of privacy and security.</p>
552. <p>Nowadays, threat actors, law enforcement and national intelligence agencies, defence contractors, private investigators, hate groups, and analytics corporations (and more recently, AI bots and AI corporations) scan, monitor, and scrape the Internet, collecting gargantuan amounts of information, to aggregate using Big Data and analysis techniques for all kinds of purposes, including anti-terrorism operations, doxxing, trolling, and harassment, or market analysis.</p>
553. <h2 id="staying-safe-generic-tips">Staying safe: Generic tips</h2>
554. <p>Regardless of the platform, there are a number of measures you can take to make it more difficult for anyone to identify you online.</p>
555. <h3 id="threat-modelling">Threat modelling</h3>
556. <p>Who do you want to defend yourself against? The NSA? GCHQ? Good luck with that. If you are notorious enough, and do crimes or become an interesting target for a government-funded agency, no amount of VPNs, Tor proxies, and PGP keys will protect you. If you become a National Security threat, you are highly unlikely to escape the grasp of government agencies.</p>
557. <p>If, on the other hand, your plans are more modest and involve protecting yourself and your family, your finances, possessions, and other things against nosy neighbours, ex-partners and current and future employers, then it is a much more doable task.</p>
558. <p>Who are you? Do you belong to a minority? Are you an immigrant, or LGBT? An activist, or a journalist? Do you have a lot of money? These are important questions. Who would be interested in your personal information specifically? Advertisers? Cybercriminals? Scammers?</p>
559. <p>You must understand what their techniques are. Receiving a Nigerian Prince phishing e-mail is totally different to a creepy, jealous ex-partner looking at your Twitter feed with a secondary account. Use this knowledge to try to deploy the appropriate countermeasures.</p>
560. <p>This post will not help safeguard your accounts and digital presence against government-sponsored threat actors, because I consider it a fruitless endeavour: If you are notable enough, you will not be able to escape the government. And if you are not notable enough, then they won’t bother tracking you down, because it is a colossal waste of resources. But it will give you tips on how threat actors operate and how to be safer online.</p>
561. <h3 id="ego-is-the-enemy">Ego is the enemy</h3>
562. <p>The most important tip of all is to understand your ego, and yourself. One common pitfall I see frequently, especially among teenagers and less tech-savvy individuals is they enjoy attention and notoriety. This is nothing to be ashamed of or ridiculed for, as it is a fundamental part of what makes us human. We crave connection and socialising, and social people develop healthier brains. But you must also balance this craving for notoriety and socialisation with the dangers of inadvertently exposing yourself on the Internet. And I think a big part of this is about one’s ego. Social networks play with our instincts by giving us small dopamine rewards in the form of view counters, likes, retweets, and other forms of attention. Once you understand how perversely manipulative these incentives are, you can begin to rethink your approach to social media. My recommendation is to disable as many non-direct interaction notifications as possible. For example, whenever I can, I disable reaction notifications: those small emojis that can be applied to other people’s messages. They do not convey much information other than approval / disapproval. I also disable likes and retweets in platforms like Twitter. Again, these notifications serve no purpose other than telling your brain “look, you did something other people liked” which in turn tricks you and makes you feel good for a short while. Same goes for messages in group chats like WhatsApp or Telegram: You do not need to be notified every time anyone sends a message to a group. You do need to get notified if other people address you specifically, via mentions or something similar.</p>
563. <p>Generally, I recommend disabling every single interaction that is not clearly addressed towards you. Usually this includes e-mails as well, because it is common to be on several marketing and newsletter e-mail lists, and it is rare to receive e-mail messages addressed to you specifically, however, in my case, I aggressively unsubscribe and block any source of unsolicited messages, so all my e-mails are addressed to me, or are notifications like bills and other things I really need to be aware of, so my e-mail notifications are always on.</p>
564. <h3 id="phone-numbers">Phone numbers</h3>
565. <p>Phone numbers are often one of the least protected pieces of information online. First of all, they’re not directly traceable back to a specific person, however, in many countries, there are “White pages” services that allow you to link a person’s real name with a phone number. You might even be listed there without your knowledge! It’s important to opt out. Each country has a different procedure, and often times it is your phone service provider who signs you up. Simply search “White Pages <code><your country></code>” and figure out how to opt-out. Also talk to your phone service provider / ISP / carrier, and ask them to de-list your information from any public sources. EU GDPR and California’s CCPA laws, among others, might have specific opt-out mechanisms. Make sure to exercise your legal rights!</p>
566. <h4 id="do-not-give-out-your-phone-number">Do not give out your phone number</h4>
567. <p>Be wary of any website or service asking for your phone number. These websites will often try to convince you to give them your phone number with the pretext of “increased account security”, or “to facilitate recovery”, or even “to send you updates regarding your order”. Please understand that they will often sell this information to advertisers and intelligence agencies. Even when they promise not to sell their data, they might get hacked one day. You might not even know they got hacked. Do you often receive robocalls? Maybe your phone number got leaked or sold.</p>
568. <p>Always use Google Authenticator*, Security Keys, and other Two-Factor authentication mechanisms, instead of SMS.</p>
569. <p>* Note: When I mention Google Authenticator, I am specifically referring to <a class="link" href="https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc6238" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
570. >RFC 6238</a>. Google Authenticator is the most well-known implementation, but alternatives exist. Check out <a class="link" href="https://getaegis.app/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
571. >Aegis Authenticator (open source)</a>, <a class="link" href="https://ente.io/blog/auth/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
572. >Ente Auth (open source with cloud sync)</a>, or <a class="link" href="https://authy.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
573. >Authy (not open source, with cloud sync)</a>.</p>
574. <p>In most extreme cases, websites like Gmail will require you to attach a phone number to your account in order to register. Otherwise, you cannot create an account, or your account will be deactivated under suspicion of fraud or automated spam. In this case, it is important to consider if you really need access to that service. Sometimes, using a VPN service and switching countries to those with better privacy laws like Switzerland or Netherlands might help. Otherwise, the use of a VPN might paint an even bigger target on you, as VPN IP addresses are well-known to certain groups and agencies.</p>
575. <p>Giving out your phone number can also make you vulnerable to many <a class="link" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Signalling_System_No._7#Protocol_security_vulnerabilities" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
576. >flaws in telecommunication systems</a>.</p>
577. <p>An alternative to real phone numbers is to use VoIP/eSIM phone numbers from <a class="link" href="https://silent.link/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
578. >silent.link</a>, <a class="link" href="https://sms4sats.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
579. >sms4sats</a>, or <a class="link" href="https://esim.me/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
580. >eSIM.me</a>.</p>
581. <h4 id="sim-swapping">SIM swapping</h4>
582. <p>Cybercriminals and threat actors can trick your carrier into giving them your SIM by doing some research on you, then posing as you to them via customer service lines. Customer service employees are often overworked or underpaid, and therefore they are highly vulnerable to being manipulated, as they won’t have much motivation to implement strict safety measures. Another technique is by using an insider: you pay your insider, and they generate a new SIM for you, transferring your phone number to them. From this point onwards, they can spoof your calls, request Two-Factor authentication SMS tokens, or even call your bank or relatives, tricking them into sending money, from a very familiar phone number using voice changer software.</p>
583. <h4 id="sim-privacy-laws">SIM privacy laws</h4>
584. <p>Countries <a class="link" href="https://www.comparitech.com/blog/vpn-privacy/sim-card-registration-laws/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
585. >increasingly require SIM-card registration</a>. The rationale behind this is often along the lines of counter-terrorism and avoiding cyber-stalking and harassment. I’m not going to argue one way or another, but the fact is if you ever gave out your personal information in order to obtain a SIM card, that automatically means there exists a database somewhere, where your name and phone number are related. It may be better or worse protected, but if that information is ever exposed, you could be in danger of identity theft, fraud, and more. Be aware of this whenever any website or app asks you for your phone number. Especially those messaging apps like WhatsApp or iMessage that share your phone number with all your contacts.</p>
586. <h3 id="public-posts">Public posts</h3>
587. <p>Due to the basics of Information Theory, it is not possible to guarantee deletion of any piece of data in computer systems. In other words: that “delete” button next to your tweets might not do what you think it does.</p>
588. <p>Same happens with your computer files. In old hard disk drives, data is not deleted even when you use the “delete” command in your operating system. Data is stored in regions, and those regions are marked as deleted. This is an important distinction, because, for performance reasons, this data is not actually removed, but the space held by the data becomes available for later use. A similar situation happens with solid-state disks. In this case, it is also for longevity reasons, because every time you write data to a solid-state disk, you reduce its life expectancy. These devices have limited writes, and the controller that takes care of sorting this information is responsible for marking cells deleted, without actually removing the data.</p>
589. <p>There are many other cases. For example, when you send data over two computer systems, it is often the case this data will, at some point, reach a router, a switch, or another intermediary device. This device will then store the data, and then send it again towards its destination. At this point, there is no guarantee that this device hasn’t stored a copy of the data exchanged. So even if the data is deleted and both the receiving as well as the sending systems are destroyed beyond recovery, there can be perfect copies of this data stored somewhere. This is the basic principle for executing <a class="link" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man-in-the-middle_attack" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
590. >MITM attacks</a>.</p>
591. <p>Thus, you should assume any data you have ever posted in a public setting, like a group, a newspaper, a blog, or unencrypted mediums like e-mails to be susceptible to being stored permanently without your consent or knowledge.</p>
592. <p>Do not simply assume the delete button will make your tweet no longer accessible. Free tools like <a class="link" href="https://archive.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
593. >archive.org</a> can help you see previous versions of websites, allowing you to recover data that is now deleted or has been modified.</p>
594. <h4 id="going-on-vacation">Going on vacation</h4>
595. <p>When going on vacation, it is typical for people to be very eager and share pictures of their trip shortly after they’re taken. Sometimes, even livestreaming their vacation. This poses all kinds of risks, not only because people can guess where you are, but also because people can guess where you aren’t. For example,if you work at a well-known company, knowing that one of the employees are on vacation is highly valuable information in case they want to conduct some kind of social engineering attack impersonating you. Or, even worse, if they know where you live, they can just enter your home and rob you, knowing your home is completely unprotected.</p>
596. <p>Instead of announcing you go on vacation in a public post, and post pictures and videos of your daily occurrences, wait until you return. Once you are home, it is perfectly safe to post pictures (depending on your threat model), as you are no longer in the location where the picture was taken.</p>
597. <h3 id="pictures-and-media-posts">Pictures and media posts</h3>
598. <p>You should avoid posting pictures of your face online. Once a picture is posted, it may stay there forever, like it or not. Although this certainly depends on your threat model. For example, if you are a well-known person in your field, it might not be very useful to avoid posting pictures of your face online, as there will likely be pictures of you, sometimes taken without explicit consent.</p>
599. <p>However, in content that is even remotely controversial or disagreeable, like politics or sexual themes, it is advised to implement a strict separation between normal / professional life and your political opinions or sexual activities.</p>
600. <h3 id="public-profiles-and-bios">Public profiles and “bios”</h3>
601. <p>Seek to minimise the amount of information you give out publicly. You can also try giving out false information, such as, for example, setting your date of birth to a different date, or setting your city to another nearby city, or even a different country.</p>
602. <p>Any bit of information you give out can be correlated with your posts and your social media presence to find out more about you.</p>
603. <h4 id="profile-privacy">Profile privacy</h4>
604. <p>Some platforms like Twitter offer privacy methods in which your account becomes readable only to users who receive your explicit approval. Then, anonymous users and non-approved users can no longer read your posts, but your approved followers can.</p>
605. <h4 id="unique-usernames-used-on-multiple-platforms">Unique usernames used on multiple platforms</h4>
606. <p>Some people choose to have identifiable usernames online. Unless you have a big reason to have a sort of “personal branding”, for example, if you are looking for work and you want to be visible to potential employers, it is probably smarter to generate usernames out of random letters and numbers and never use personal details like year of birth, age, or your real name.</p>
607. <p>If you do choose to have a “personal branding”, then you must be very careful what you say, or what you post. There’s a lot of information associated to anything you publish online. For example: pictures can sometimes include geolocation data, or people can find out where you are because of geographical features displayed in the picture. The time and date you post can also help locate where you are located in the world, and perhaps even what you do for a living.</p>
608. <p>Even if you delete your posts, there are tools dedicated to archiving social media profiles including all their posted content.</p>
609. <h3 id="online-shopping-and-package-delivery">Online shopping and package delivery</h3>
610. <p>Except in very specific cases, giving out your real name to companies like Amazon or DHL isn’t actually necessary. They will never check your ID. While sending parcels to your home might pose a threat, unless you use sketchy websites, and as long as you never give out your legal name to e-commerce websites, it should be fine.</p>
611. <h3 id="usernames-and-e-mail-addresses">Usernames and e-mail addresses</h3>
612. <p>Many platforms have a “login” username separate from the name displayed on your profile. Sometimes your login username is just your e-mail address or phone number.</p>
613. <p>If possible, your username should be never the same in two websites. If your name is “John Doe” and your e-banking username is “JohnDoe”, then that makes it more likely for your banking information to be breached. How about having “dxf15sx4” as username instead? Hard to remember? Yes. You should be using a password manager anyway. In cases like Twitter or Discord where your username is also your social username by which people can reach you, this might not be feasible.</p>
614. <p>Regarding e-mail, there are some private e-mail service providers. Some people use the <a class="link" href="https://www.fastmail.help/hc/en-us/articles/360060591053-Plus-addressing-and-subdomain-addressing#plus" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
615. >“plus-address” trick</a>, but this is not very useful because if your information is ever leaked, anyone knows the first part of your e-mail address, before the <code>+</code> sign, is your real address.</p>
616. <p>Instead, try completely randomly generated e-mail addresses like <code>abc@yourprovider.com</code> or <code>xyz@yourprovider.com</code>. Do not write your name in the username part of the address. Do not use your initials. Do not make it identifiable.</p>
617. <p>Some private e-mail providers include:</p>
618. <ul>
619. <li><a class="link" href="https://www.fastmail.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
620. >https://www.fastmail.com/</a></li>
621. <li><a class="link" href="https://simplelogin.io/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
622. >https://simplelogin.io/</a></li>
623. <li><a class="link" href="https://33mail.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
624. >https://33mail.com/</a></li>
625. <li><a class="link" href="https://relay.firefox.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
626. >https://relay.firefox.com/</a></li>
627. <li><a class="link" href="https://addy.io/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
628. >https://addy.io/</a></li>
629. <li><a class="link" href="https://duckduckgo.com/email/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
630. >DuckDuckGo Email Protection</a></li>
631. <li><a class="link" href="https://developer.apple.com/documentation/sign_in_with_apple/sign_in_with_apple_js/communicating_using_the_private_email_relay_service" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
632. >iCloud Private Relay</a></li>
633. </ul>
634. <p>There are of course many more services. Do note that an increasing number of websites will not allow you to sign in using addresses provided by the above services. Some GitHub projects like <a class="link" href="https://github.com/disposable/disposable" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
635. >this one</a> allow you to download a list containing disposable e-mail service providers, as well as the private e-mail providers listed above. A simple workaround is to get a domain name. You can buy a .com domain for less than 10 dollars a year, and then configure your private e-mail provider to use said domain name.</p>
636. <h3 id="distrust-of-people-online">Distrust of people online</h3>
637. <p>It is not wise to trust strangers on the Internet. It is relatively common for things like <a class="link" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catfishing" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
638. >catfishing</a>, <a class="link" href="https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/scams-and-safety/common-frauds-and-scams/romance-scams" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
639. >romance scams</a>, or <a class="link" href="https://www.avg.com/en/signal/how-to-avoid-sugar-daddy-scams" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
640. >sugar daddy scams</a> to happen.</p>
641. <p>Scamming techniques evolve continuously and it is hard to keep track of them. But a smart rule to stick to is, if someone on the Internet requests you pay them before delivering any kind of product or service, especially if this individual has contacted you first out of the blue, then it is likely a scam.</p>
642. <p>But it’s not only scams you have to watch out for. Unfortunately, some people are not scammers but simply bad people.</p>
643. <p>The cost of betraying your neighbour can be quite high, as your neighbour knows where you live, and possibly the kind of car you drive, or who you are dating. However, on the Internet, things are much more complicated. Even if you talk to someone who you think is your friend, there’s no guarantee they won’t tell other people your secrets. Or worse yet, your friends could be impersonated, or get their accounts hacked.</p>
644. <h3 id="privacy-vpn-services">Privacy VPN services</h3>
645. <p>VPN providers will often sell you the idea of a safer internet with them, but, a VPN is effectively a middle-man between you and the sites you want to visit. Using a VPN means giving all your Internet traffic to this VPN provider, so it is important to make the right choices when looking for a VPN provider. Some VPN providers require and request more personal information than others. Among the most trusted VPN services is <a class="link" href="https://mullvad.net" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
646. >Mullvad</a>. There have been cases of VPN providers disclosing information of their users to the authorities in the event of illegal activity, like how <a class="link" href="https://www.silicon.co.uk/workspace/hidemyass-anonymity-service-exposes-alleged-lulzsec-hackers-40663" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
647. >HideMyAss helped an FBI investigation</a> when they were served with a court order. In this case, it is hard to argue against HideMyAss, as they are legally required to assist the authorities investigating crimes, but one must also remember that HideMyAss disclosed the information they had on their customers, and this would have not been possible if they had no information on the suspects in the first place.</p>
648. <p>This guide does not cover threat models that include engaging in crime while avoiding prison or legal consequences but the line between the (legal) right to privacy and criminals using privacy to avoid consequences is blurry at times.</p>
649. <h3 id="ip-addresses">IP Addresses</h3>
650. <p>Depending on how you connect to the Internet, there’s a chance that your IP address is static. This means your IP address never changes, and website administrators can see it. This way, it is easy to track you even across different websites, as they often contain tracking mechanisms from third-party companies like Google or Facebook.</p>
651. <p>One of the most common ways of dynamic IP assignment happens when your router boots and performs the appropriate handshakes with your ISP. If you are unsure, check your IP using something like <a class="link" href="https://ifconfig.me/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
652. >ifconfig.me</a>, then reboot your router (power cycle), wait for it to go online, and check your IP again.</p>
653. <h3 id="vehicle-registration">Vehicle registration</h3>
654. <p>In some countries, vehicle registration information is easily accessible. In particular, countries like USA, Canada, UK and Australia have weaker privacy laws, and it is possible to retrieve information such as accident history, service and repair records, vehicle make, model, and year.</p>
655. <h3 id="tax-returns">Tax returns</h3>
656. <p>In some countries, the tax returns are public information, and easy to retrieve, as long as you have the name of the person you are interested in knowing the tax records of. If you live in such a country, you probably know, but the Nordics (Norway, Sweden, Denmark, etc) are famous for this. In some cases, the target person will receive a notification that their tax information was accessed by you, as you have to identify yourself prior to making this inquiry.</p>
657. <p>So if you live in a country like this, it is easy to estimate a person’s net worth. As such, your threat model should include this consideration.</p>
658. <h3 id="credit-score-and-financial-information">Credit score and financial information</h3>
659. <p>The US and Canada are notorious for being countries where financial information such as credit score is not particularly well-protected. Landlords, employers, insurance companies and other parties have access to sensitive financial records including credit scores, credit history, bankruptcies, payment history. In most cases, the individual’s explicit consent is required, but this consent, as is the case in other cases, can be forged.</p>
660. <h2 id="platform-specific-tips">Platform-specific tips</h2>
661. <p>Please note, below I list some unofficial tools. These unofficial tools gaining access to your account could do some serious damage, like deleting groups you own or mass-spamming your contacts. Please exercise caution when running any third-party code.</p>
662. <p><a class="link" href="https://cyberhoot.com/cybrary/emergency-data-request-edr/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
663. >Emergency Data Requests</a> are legitimate tools for law enforcement agencies to request data on a particular user. This in theory sounds great, because EDRs are only accessible to law enforcement agents, and are a valuable resource in fighting crime. However, in reality, threat actors are known to <a class="link" href="https://www.404media.co/hackers-target-kodex-accounts-edrs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
664. >abuse EDR platforms like Kodex</a>. The method they use to gain access to Kodex is simple: They buy breached government e-mails, like law enforcement agents, government officials, legislators, etc. With this government e-mail, they can then sign up for platforms like Kodex and look up any user they want. These platforms collect vast amounts of information that are then made available via these methods.</p>
665. <p>Several large platforms like Discord, LinkedIn or Snapchat are available on Kodex. With these, they can then request all the information in a particular account, even data the company promised not to share with advertisers, because companies still have to respect court orders, and (legitimate) EDRs come with court orders.</p>
666. <p>The generic tips as well as platform-specific tips should hopefully help you maintain a certain degree of privacy.</p>
667. <p>Do not trust a company to keep your information private. Instead, do your best so that information is never collected in the first place.</p>
668. <h3 id="telegram">Telegram</h3>
669. <p>There are well-known tools like <a class="link" href="https://tgdev.io/tgscan" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
670. >tgScan</a>, and <a class="link" href="https://www.telegramdb.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
671. >TelegramDB</a> that use various methods to collect membership details in Telegram groups.</p>
672. <p>These tools are paid, but don’t be surprised if you show up in the search results including all the groups you belong to, or at least some of them.</p>
673. <p>It is not easy to defend against this because they automate this data collection through bots joining many different groups. However, there’s a few things you can do right now that will increase your privacy.</p>
674. <p><img src="https://ulveon.net/p/2024-10-05-operational-security-staying-safe-online/tg-privacy.jpg"
675. width="385"
676. height="447"
677. srcset="https://ulveon.net/p/2024-10-05-operational-security-staying-safe-online/tg-privacy_hu619339024328652928.jpg 480w, https://ulveon.net/p/2024-10-05-operational-security-staying-safe-online/tg-privacy_hu16329722238383168698.jpg 1024w"
678. loading="lazy"
679. alt="Telegram privacy settings"
680. class="gallery-image"
681. data-flex-grow="86"
682. data-flex-basis="206px"
683. ></p>
684. <p><img src="https://ulveon.net/p/2024-10-05-operational-security-staying-safe-online/tg-security.jpg"
685. width="385"
686. height="290"
687. srcset="https://ulveon.net/p/2024-10-05-operational-security-staying-safe-online/tg-security_hu9266256053544563103.jpg 480w, https://ulveon.net/p/2024-10-05-operational-security-staying-safe-online/tg-security_hu17577204099031769942.jpg 1024w"
688. loading="lazy"
689. alt="Telegram security settings"
690. class="gallery-image"
691. data-flex-grow="132"
692. data-flex-basis="318px"
693. ></p>
694. <h4 id="enable-two-step-verification">Enable two-step verification</h4>
695. <p>In the security section, you can add an additional password to your account.</p>
696. <p>This prevents someone else from gaining access to your phone number through SIM swapping or similar and logging into your account, as after entering the SMS code, they will be asked for a password.</p>
697. <h4 id="remove-your-username">Remove your username</h4>
698. <p><img src="https://ulveon.net/p/2024-10-05-operational-security-staying-safe-online/tg-username.jpg"
699. width="318"
700. height="332"
701. srcset="https://ulveon.net/p/2024-10-05-operational-security-staying-safe-online/tg-username_hu12036632449539818998.jpg 480w, https://ulveon.net/p/2024-10-05-operational-security-staying-safe-online/tg-username_hu4736699531707011322.jpg 1024w"
702. loading="lazy"
703. alt="Telegram username settings"
704. class="gallery-image"
705. data-flex-grow="95"
706. data-flex-basis="229px"
707. ></p>
708. <p>While your account has a user ID attached that you can never change, official clients don’t display it by default, but can be enabled under experimental settings.</p>
709. <p>If you remove your username, it is not possible for someone else to refer to your account except in the form of mentions in a group chat, or if they manage to get your user ID.</p>
710. <p>If you have a username set, you can delete the text to remove your username.</p>
711. <h4 id="hide-your-personal-details">Hide your personal details</h4>
712. <p>In settings -> Privacy and Security, you can tune who sees what kind of information about yourself.</p>
713. <p>I recommend setting the following to “Nobody”:</p>
714. <ul>
715. <li>Phone number</li>
716. <li>Last seen</li>
717. <li>Date of Birth</li>
718. <li>Forwarded messages</li>
719. <li>Groups and channels</li>
720. </ul>
721. <p>A note regarding forwarded messages: People can still forward your messages to other people. The difference is these messages will only carry the name you have set in the app (not your username), and they cannot tap the name to go to your profile as is possible if this setting is configured to “Everyone”.</p>
722. <p>And, as you can see in the picture (+3), you can add specific people who are allowed to perform certain actions. If your settings are “Everybody”, you can still add exceptions that will not be allowed to, for example see your profile picture or bio.</p>
723. <h4 id="enable-disappearing-messages">Enable disappearing messages</h4>
724. <p>In settings -> Privacy and Security, you can enable disappearing messages.</p>
725. <p>This will make any new private chat (even regular, non-secret chats) have an expiration timer set by you, after which the messages will be deleted for both parties.</p>
726. <p>The counterparty can always change or disable this expiration timer, but you will be notified if they do.</p>
727. <h4 id="mass-deletion-of-group-messages">Mass-deletion of group messages</h4>
728. <p>For this, there are several tools.</p>
729. <p>I use <a class="link" href="https://nekogram.app/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
730. >Nekogram</a> on Android. You can go to each group, and delete all messages, or only messages older than a day or a week.</p>
731. <p>There are other options, for example, scripts like <a class="link" href="https://github.com/en9inerd/tgeraser" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
732. >TgEraser</a>, or <a class="link" href="https://github.com/rusq/wipemychat" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
733. >wipemychat</a>.</p>
734. <p>Of course, you should always exercise caution when giving third-party applications access to your Telegram account. They could delete your private messages or even delete groups and channels you own.</p>
735. <h4 id="disable-calls">Disable calls</h4>
736. <p>Depending on your security settings, calls can leak your IP address. It is therefore advisable to disable calls, or at least disable peer-to-peer functionality in calls.</p>
737. <p><img src="https://ulveon.net/p/2024-10-05-operational-security-staying-safe-online/tg-calls.jpg"
738. width="370"
739. height="522"
740. srcset="https://ulveon.net/p/2024-10-05-operational-security-staying-safe-online/tg-calls_hu3452280739638318433.jpg 480w, https://ulveon.net/p/2024-10-05-operational-security-staying-safe-online/tg-calls_hu8846585683118194139.jpg 1024w"
741. loading="lazy"
742. alt="Telegram peer-to-peer calls"
743. class="gallery-image"
744. data-flex-grow="70"
745. data-flex-basis="170px"
746. ></p>
747. <h3 id="whatsapp">WhatsApp</h3>
748. <p>WhatsApp doesn’t have a public API, but there are several ways to gather data from a WhatsApp contact. For example, you can use <a class="link" href="https://github.com/rizwansoaib/whatsapp-monitor" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
749. >WhatsApp Monitor</a> to stalk anyone given you have their phone number. This allows you to be notified whenever they come online, which means anytime they look at their WhatsApp chats.</p>
750. <h3 id="dns--hostnames">DNS / hostnames</h3>
751. <p>DNS can refer to two different things: Registering a domain name, and resolving domain names.</p>
752. <p>In the case of registration, the standard requires you provide personal information in order to register a domain, this is then possible to retrieve using the WHOIS mechanism. Failure to provide your real details can lead to domain suspension without a chance to get it back. However, legal privacy services exist. In most cases, these hide your PII behind the provider’s infrastructure to protect your privacy. However, your hostname provider is still required to reveal your private information upon being served a court order. These privacy services are often referred to as “WHOIS privacy”.</p>
753. <p>Even if WHOIS privacy is enabled, DNS records can still reveal information. For example, by checking DNS history records using tools like Passive DNS, investigators can track changes in IP addresses associated with a domain, revealing hosting changes, geographic locations of servers, and patterns of behavior over time.</p>
754. <p>The second situation is with regards to resolving domain names. In this use-case, DNS is an unencrypted protocol, and this means anyone between you and your target website could potentially learn the kinds of websites you browse to. At a minimum their domain names. To protect yourself in this case, it is possible to make use of encrypted DNS services. Modern web browsers ship with encrypted DNS service providers that bypass OS settings.</p>
755. <p>To protect your privacy:</p>
756. <ul>
757. <li>Always opt for WHOIS privacy protection when registering a domain.</li>
758. <li>Be mindful of using personal email addresses for domain registrations.</li>
759. <li>Consider using DNS providers that offer encrypted DNS (e.g., DNS over HTTPS or DNS over TLS) to limit the leakage of your browsing habits.</li>
760. </ul>
761. <h3 id="git--github--gitlab">Git / GitHub / GitLab</h3>
762. <p>The Git protocol is probably more leaky than you think. The Git protocol requires a username and e-mail address set up in order to make commits. Some git clients and IDEs will auto-generate this based on different parameters. Many git clients take your computer’s username and hostname to generate these fields. This is particularly bad if your computer’s username is your legal name, as this will be visible in any public GitHub or GitLab commits.</p>
763. <p>Try going to any of my public GitLab repos, go to the list of commits, click the title of any commit, and you will see that my profile is associated with it, including my e-mail address. Git was initially designed to be used through e-mail, and many people are not aware that their e-mail address is attached to every commit they make. If this is sensitive information for you, you should consider an e-mail privacy service that hides your real e-mail address.</p>
764. <p>There are tools like <a class="link" href="https://github.com/GONZOsint/gitrecon" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
765. >gitrecon</a> that allow you to download the public SSH keys of a GitLab or GitHub user. With these, you can then correlate accounts if they share the same SSH public key.</p>
766. <h3 id="google">Google</h3>
767. <p>Google has an <a class="link" href="https://landing.google.com/advancedprotection/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
768. >Advanced Protection Program</a> designed to enforce the maximum levels of security and prevent unsafe activities from taking place accidentally. This program is especially designed for people who are under attack from government-sponsored threat actors. Note that signing up to this program will apply limitations to your account, such as:</p>
769. <ul>
770. <li>You can no longer sign into Gmail using passwords through IMAP / SMTP</li>
771. <li>Two-Factor authentication is enforced and you can no longer disable it</li>
772. <li>If you sign in with your Google account in an Android phone, you might be prevented from installing certain applications, especially outside the Play Store</li>
773. </ul>
774. <p>Note that the Advanced Protection Program does not change your privacy settings, and Google collects vast amounts of information like location or search history that is in your best interests to disable.</p>
775. <p>Many options are located in <a class="link" href="https://myaccount.google.com/data-and-privacy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
776. >your Google Account settings</a>.</p>
777. <p>Disable, pause, and delete everything you can. If you use Android and other Google products like YouTube, it’s worth going over each service and product individually and reviewing the settings from there as well to make sure you didn’t miss any setting.</p>
778. <h4 id="android">Android</h4>
779. <p>Depending on your phone model, your technical skills, and your willingness to protect your privacy and security, you have several options available for you. At a minimum, any regular, unmodified Android phone with Google can be enrolled in the Advanced Protection Program outlined in the previous section. This automatically hardens your smartphone and blocks some common attack vectors like third-party Android applications. From that point onwards, you might not be able to install applications outside of the Google Play Store. This might represent an inconvenience to you depending on your use-case.</p>
780. <p>The second option is using a privacy and security oriented Android-based rom like <a class="link" href="https://lineageos.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
781. >LineageOS</a> or, better yet, <a class="link" href="https://grapheneos.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
782. >Graphene OS</a> for Google Pixel phones.</p>
783. <p>There are possibly millions of different roms for different Android phones, and it would be impossible to list them all in this article, but a good starting point is to search on <a class="link" href="https://xdaforums.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
784. >XDA Forums</a> for your particular phone model. As usual, not all roms are created equal, and it is possible some roms are intentionally maliciously modified to undermine your privacy and security. For this reason, you should spend some time to research what you are going to put in your phone.</p>
785. <p>Additionally, Google apps might represent a threat to your privacy. It is possible to get roms without Google services, but you must understand that you might get reduced functionality like no push notifications or maps, even embedded maps in some applications. Thus, Google Apps or their lack thereof is a tradeoff you must assess at a personal level.</p>
786. <h3 id="apple">Apple</h3>
787. <p>Apple offers a <a class="link" href="https://support.apple.com/guide/personal-safety/welcome/web" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
788. >personal safety guide</a> on their website. This guide is helpful for anyone, with any level of expertise, to be able to secure their Apple account, remove and review any unwanted information sharing (like location, or other updates). This will not help you safeguard any apps connected to your iCloud e-mail address, or installed on your iPhone, but it is an excellent first step.</p>
789. <h2 id="other-resources">Other resources</h2>
790. <p>Please check out these guides:</p>
791. <ul>
792. <li><a class="link" href="https://securityinabox.org/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
793. >Security in-a-box</a></li>
794. <li><a class="link" href="https://ssd.eff.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
795. >Surveillance self-defense by EFF</a></li>
796. </ul>
797. <p>They contain additional information including how to think about threat modelling and how to achieve a privacy-centric mindset.</p>
798. <h2 id="changelog">Changelog</h2>
799. <ul>
800. <li>Added “Other resources” section.</li>
801. &lt;/ul></description></item><item><title>Fascism is coming</title><link>https://ulveon.net/p/2024-08-29-fascism-is-coming/</link><pubDate>Thu, 29 Aug 2024 20:34:09 +0100</pubDate><guid>https://ulveon.net/p/2024-08-29-fascism-is-coming/</guid><description>&lt;p>And it won&amp;rsquo;t be pretty. We have collectively learned nothing from Hitler&amp;rsquo;s rise to power. And it is just happening all over again, through the same institutions that we thought were set up to resist the next fascist takeover.&lt;/p>
802. <h2 id="background">Background</h2>
803. <p>History has a way of repeating itself, especially when we fail to learn from the past. The rise of fascism in the 20th century, epitomised by figures like Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini, was not an isolated incident but the result of specific social, economic, and political conditions that have emerged repeatedly throughout history. Today, as we face similar challenges, it is clear that the lessons of the past are once again being ignored.</p>
804. <p>The cyclical nature of history is evident in the way societies, when confronted with crisis and uncertainty, often turn to authoritarian solutions, seeking strong leaders who promise to restore order and national pride at the cost of democracy and human rights. This cycle has been observed across different eras and regions, from the fall of the Roman Republic to the rise of fascist regimes in the 20th century, and now, we are witnessing its resurgence in the 21st century.</p>
805. <p>In this context, the rise of fascism today can be seen not as a sudden anomaly but as the latest iteration of a recurring historical pattern.</p>
806. <p>The financial crisis of 2007 sent the world’s entire economy into recession, and would be the catalyst of many beautiful citizen protest movements, like <a class="link" href="https://wikipedia.org/wiki/Occupy_Wall_Street" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
807. >Occupy Wall Street</a>, the <a class="link" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_Spring" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
808. >Arab Spring</a>, the <a class="link" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-austerity_movement_in_Spain" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
809. >15-M</a>, the <a class="link" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_Iranian_presidential_election_protests" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
810. >2009 Iranian presidential election protests</a>, and the <a class="link" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_United_Kingdom_student_protests" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
811. >2010 United Kingdom student protests</a>, among others.</p>
812. <p>People suffered for years under strict austerity measures to stabilise the economy after a collapse of subprime mortgages erased between 2 and 10 trillion USD, depending on the estimation, in the global financial system, and most western countries contracted their GDP around 5% due to the crisis.</p>
813. <p>During the 2010, it seemed like there would be change. Protestors went home, but there was no comprehensive policy change. However, life continued as normal. Economies would slowly start to recover, and get back on track of GDP growth.</p>
814. <p>Then it happened again, another crisis: First, a few cases of pneumonia in China. Then it spread, over days, and weeks. Alarms were being raised, people were being hospitalised, nobody knew what was happening, and soon enough, a pandemic was declared. Most countries enforced strict quarantine measures including mouth coverings and curfews that turned many people unemployed: baristas, office services, real estate agents, millions of people lost their jobs, while office workers were being told to go home, and work from home for a few weeks, which turned into months, and for some, became permanent.</p>
815. <p>During COVID, conspiracy theorists ran rampant through social media platforms, <a class="link" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COVID-19_misinformation" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
816. >spreading disinformation</a> involving Bill Gates, George Soros, the World Health Organisation, the US, the EU, the World Economic Forum, and more.</p>
817. <h2 id="current-times">Current times</h2>
818. <p>It is hard to point to a single specific event causing a rise in fascist sentiment, but the world has changed drastically in the last 10 years, and some of the progress that was achieved has stopped, and, in some cases, started to reverse.</p>
819. <h3 id="anti-immigration-and-anti-refugee-sentiment">Anti-immigration and anti-refugee sentiment</h3>
820. <p>Although Europe has traditionally been one of the most open and welcoming regions, it is starting to turn its back on immigrants and refugees.</p>
821. <p>The most significant turning point came with the 2015 refugee crisis, when over a million refugees and migrants, primarily from Syria, Afghanistan, and Iraq, arrived in Europe. Initially, some countries, particularly Germany, were welcoming. German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s “Wir schaffen das” (“We can do this”) approach was emblematic of this initial response. However, as the numbers swelled, the political and social backlash grew.</p>
822. <p>The scale of the crisis, combined with later terrorist attacks across Europe, and resulting protests made European politics less welcoming of immigrants, and more in favour of border controls.</p>
823. <p>Countries around Europe have also used immigration as a political tool, some notable examples:</p>
824. <ul>
825. <li>
826. <p>In 2015, there was a sharp increase in migrants arriving in Lapland, in the Finnish-Swedish border. In parallel, there was an increase in the number of migrants at two Finnish-Russian border crossing points. In 2016, Norway stopped to consider asylum applications from migrants with Russian residence documents. <a class="link" href="https://www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacje/analyses/2016-04-06/enforced-cooperation-finnish-russian-migration-crisis" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
827. >Source</a> [<a class="link" href="http://archive.is/4gVlP" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
828. >Archived version</a>]</p>
829. </li>
830. <li>
831. <p>In February 2020, Turkey announced that it would no longer stop refugees from attempting to cross into Europe, leading to a significant increase in migrants trying to enter Greece. This was widely seen as a tactic to pressure the EU for more support in Turkey’s conflict with Syria.</p>
832. </li>
833. <li>
834. <p>In August 2021, <a class="link" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belarus%E2%80%93European_Union_border_crisis" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
835. >Belarus was accused of orchestrating a migrant crisis</a> along its borders with Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia.</p>
836. </li>
837. <li>
838. <p>In August 2021, a similar situation developed in the <a class="link" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_Morocco%E2%80%93Spain_border_incident" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
839. >Morocco-Spain border around Ceuta and Melilla</a>, whereby Morocco relaxed border checks, and allowed thousands of migrants to cross into Ceuta. This was interpreted as retaliation for Spain’s decision to provide medical treatment to a political figure that opposes Morocco’s territorial claims. Morocco is also known to periodically leverage the threat of migration to negotiate better deals with the EU.</p>
840. </li>
841. </ul>
842. <p>The growing hostility towards immigrants and refugees is not just a response to external crises but a symptom of a deeper shift towards authoritarianism, where fear and exclusion are used to consolidate power.</p>
843. <h3 id="terrorism">Terrorism</h3>
844. <p>During 2015 and 2016, several terrorist attacks took place in France, Belgium, and Germany. This shocked the world and would steer these territories into less favourable migration policies, with parties like AfD taking a strong anti-migration stance during 2015 which significantly boosted its popularity.</p>
845. <h3 id="populism-and-the-erosion-of-truth-the-slow-boiling-frog">Populism and the erosion of truth, the slow-boiling frog</h3>
846. <p>The <a class="link" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boiling_frog" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
847. >boiling frog apologue</a> is a powerful metaphor for the current state of world politics. Just as a frog in slowly heating water fails to perceive the danger until it’s too late, societies today are being gradually desensitized to extremist rhetoric, making previously unthinkable ideas appear almost logical.</p>
848. <p>Populism, as both a political strategy and a movement, is rooted in the notion of representing “the people” against “the elite.” This dichotomy is a hallmark of populist rhetoric, where leaders claim to be the voice of the “ordinary people” while vilifying the establishment. Historically, populism has appeared in various forms across the political spectrum, from left-wing movements like those led by Latin American leaders to right-wing movements in Europe and the United States.</p>
849. <p>Populism’s historical lineage can be traced back to the 19th century, notably with the People’s Party in the United States. However, modern populism has taken on new dimensions, often aligning with nationalism and anti-immigration stances. The relevance of populism today lies in its ability to exploit societal divisions and fears, creating an environment where democratic principles are undermined.</p>
850. <p>Populist leaders and movements can serve as a precursor to fascism by exploiting people’s fears, promoting nationalism, and attacking democratic principles.</p>
851. <p>The rhetoric of “us vs. them” employed by populist leaders enables these parties and movements to justify hatred and disrespect towards minorities, who are scapegoated for society’s problems. This divisive strategy not only polarizes societies but also erodes the social fabric by turning different groups against one another.</p>
852. <p>The most notorious populist figure in recent history is Donald Trump. Running on a platform of “America First”, he won the election that would make him the 45th president of the United States. His brand of populism combined nationalist and xenophobic rhetoric with attacks on established institutions and the media.</p>
853. <p>Other relevant figures include Viktor Orbán and Jair Bolsonaro, who have similar positions to Donald Trump including xenophobic values, conservatism, criticism towards environmental regulations, and the support of traditional national values over immigration and foreign influence.</p>
854. <p>However, while populism seems to be having a greater effect on right-wing voters at the moment, populism is not a characteristic of right-wing politics, and there are cases of left-wing politicians effectively using populism to drive their agendas.</p>
855. <p>Right-wing populist figures capitalise on free speech to make controversial statements, framing them as bold truths that others are too afraid to voice. They focus on telling people what they want to hear, without providing clear, actionable plans on how they will achieve their promised goals. This lack of transparency and practical solutions allows them to maintain broad appeal while avoiding scrutiny over the feasibility of their policies.</p>
856. <p>This is the intersection between populism and free speech. I talk more about free speech in my previous post: <a class="link" href="https://ulveon.net/p/2024-01-10-free-speech-is-not-a-noble-goal-to-pursue/#human-nature-there-i-said-it" >Free speech is not a noble goal to pursue</a>. Populists often weaponize free speech to normalise xenophobic discourse. Through the illusory truth effect, repeated false claims can become more believable, leading to widespread misinformation.</p>
857. <p>Moreover, populist leaders are quick to dismiss established media as “fake news,” promoting confusion among the public, who may then struggle to distinguish between truth and falsehood. This erosion of trust in traditional sources of information is another dangerous consequence of modern populism.</p>
858. <h3 id="the-overton-window-is-moving-to-the-right">The overton window is moving to the right</h3>
859. <p>The <a class="link" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overton_window" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
860. >overton window</a> is a concept to name what the currently sociopolitically acceptable range of policies exist. Political actors have skillfully manipulated the Overton window, gradually shifting what is considered acceptable discourse to include more extreme right-wing ideologies, and because of the above mentioned circumstances, it is slowly but surely moving to the right.</p>
861. <p>Sahil Chinoy writes: <a class="link" href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/06/26/opinion/sunday/republican-platform-far-right.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
862. >What Happened to America’s Political Center of Gravity?</a> [<a class="link" href="http://archive.is/AGLVh" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
863. >archived version</a>], on how there seems to be a very clear trend to the right worldwide. Even though the title mentions America, the included chart is very illustrative of current world politics:</p>
864. <p><img src="https://ulveon.net/p/2024-08-29-fascism-is-coming/center_of_gravity.jpg"
865. width="1269"
866. height="276"
867. srcset="https://ulveon.net/p/2024-08-29-fascism-is-coming/center_of_gravity_hu4889479683806395869.jpg 480w, https://ulveon.net/p/2024-08-29-fascism-is-coming/center_of_gravity_hu15826498083182785330.jpg 1024w"
868. loading="lazy"
869. alt="Graph representing left, center, and right-wing parties worldwide, with circle sizes representing their porcentage of vote share"
870. class="gallery-image"
871. data-flex-grow="459"
872. data-flex-basis="1103px"
873. ></p>
874. <p>According to the chart, the vast majority of parties represent right-wing and center-right ideologies, and are much further from the center than even the most extreme left-wing parties. And for the left side, the majority of left-wing parties remain very close to the center, and only a handful of them dare to go far into the left spectrum.</p>
875. <p>Rachel Kleinfeld published a paper on <a class="link" href="https://carnegieendowment.org/research/2023/09/polarization-democracy-and-political-violence-in-the-united-states-what-the-research-says" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
876. >Polarization, Democracy, and Political Violence in the United States: What the Research Says</a> [<a class="link" href="http://archive.is/fdIg2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
877. >archived version</a>] [<a class="link" href="https://p4d0.c1.e2-10.dev/ulveon-public/static/2024-08-29-fascism-is-coming/polarization.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
878. >PDF version</a>]. And I would like to take a look at two charts:</p>
879. <p><img src="https://ulveon.net/p/2024-08-29-fascism-is-coming/Kleinfeld_fig_4-1.jpg"
880. width="2084"
881. height="1505"
882. srcset="https://ulveon.net/p/2024-08-29-fascism-is-coming/Kleinfeld_fig_4-1_hu11997602963996639154.jpg 480w, https://ulveon.net/p/2024-08-29-fascism-is-coming/Kleinfeld_fig_4-1_hu12950264791742144487.jpg 1024w"
883. loading="lazy"
884. alt="Feeling thermometer ratings by Democrats and Republicans"
885. class="gallery-image"
886. data-flex-grow="138"
887. data-flex-basis="332px"
888. ></p>
889. <p>In the above chart, we can clearly see how, even though Democrats and Republicans trust their own peers slightly less in 2020 compared to 1964, we can also see that both parties’ trust in their respective opposition has tanked, and in 2020 they were at alarmingly low levels. This means Republicans nowadays consider themselves politically far away from Democrats, and vice-versa, and this contributes to further polarisation, populism, and radicalisation, and makes passing laws much harder and require more compromises on both parts.</p>
890. <p>In the same article, we find a chart illustrating terrorist attacks in the US over the past few years:</p>
891. <p><img src="https://ulveon.net/p/2024-08-29-fascism-is-coming/terrorism.jpg"
892. width="2084"
893. height="1802"
894. srcset="https://ulveon.net/p/2024-08-29-fascism-is-coming/terrorism_hu1946500819336872551.jpg 480w, https://ulveon.net/p/2024-08-29-fascism-is-coming/terrorism_hu16155882636699480754.jpg 1024w"
895. loading="lazy"
896. alt="Terrorist attacks in the US by ideology"
897. class="gallery-image"
898. data-flex-grow="115"
899. data-flex-basis="277px"
900. ></p>
901. <p>Not only attacks have gone up massively, but we see a significant rise in attacks determined to be far-right and anti-inclusivity, although environmentalist terrorism has been mostly replaced by far-left terrorism, but still represents a lower share compared to right-wing groups.</p>
902. <h4 id="united-states">United States</h4>
903. <p>The Trump administration’s “Muslim ban,” which restricted travel from several predominantly Muslim countries, was initially met with widespread condemnation. However, it eventually gained significant support among right-wing circles.</p>
904. <p>In 2022, The United States Supreme Court decided to overturn Roe v. Wade, undoing 50 years of reproductive rights.</p>
905. <h4 id="hungary">Hungary</h4>
906. <p>Viktor Orbán in Hungary has pushed for policies that were once deemed far-right, such as anti-immigrant measures and restrictions on press freedom, with growing acceptance. Orbán’s rhetoric around “protecting European Christian values” against migrants has moved from fringe discourse to being a cornerstone of his government’s policy, further exemplifying this shift.</p>
907. <h4 id="denmark">Denmark</h4>
908. <p>Certain areas were labeled “ghettos” and stricter laws were enforced on residents, such as mandatory preschool for children from immigrant backgrounds to “integrate” them into Danish society. This reflects a move towards more hardline policies on immigration and assimilation that were previously considered too extreme.</p>
909. <h4 id="united-kingdom">United Kingdom</h4>
910. <p>While UK has never been particularly fond of the European Union, and they never adopted the euro or became part of the Schengen passport-free area, Brexit, largely driven by concerns over national sovereignty and immigration, was initially a fringe position. However, the Brexit movement would eventually culminate in the United Kingdom starting the process to leave the European Union.</p>
911. <h2 id="conclusion">Conclusion</h2>
912. <p>We live in an extraordinarily difficult situation of mass disinformation campaigns, polarisation and social justice.</p>
913. <p>War has returned to Europe with the illegal invasion of Ukraine by Russia that started in 2022, after more than 70 years of relative peace in Europe, to the West of Russia, and more than 30 years after the end of the Cold War. The conflict between China and Taiwan has been brewing over the past few years, and every few months, some US military intelligence warns us that we are closer to a war in Taiwan than we think, yet the world moves on.</p>
914. <p>Israel invaded Gaza in 2023, and is upsetting all arab countries, including Iran. Meanwhile the United States continues to express support for Israel’s military objectives.</p>
915. <p>Economic fears abound, and a certain famous CEO has purchased one of the world’s most important social networks only to spread ridiculous far-right conspiracy theories, seeding people’s lives with fear and doubt.</p>
916. <p>When Hitler was defeated, we all thought that it was over. We put measures in place to make sure nothing like this ever repeats. Technical measures like minimum vote percentages in many democratic countries, minimum country thresholds in the EU, the illegalisation of nazi symbology and parties representing far-right ideologies, national espionage campaigns to disarm far-right terrorist cells before they can cause any harm, and many other strategies to try to ensure Hitler wouldn’t repeat.</p>
917. <p>But it is coming back to haunt us. The problem is democracy is inherently fragile, as, during periods of hardship, people want and need solutions fast. And someone can come at any time, and tell them exactly what they want to hear: we will lower taxes, we will increase employment. Everyone will be rich, it’s the immigrants who are the problem, so we will kick them all and we will once again be powerful and prosperous.</p>
918. &lt;p>But it&amp;rsquo;s not so simple. Nothing is ever so simple. I can only hope we turn back before it&amp;rsquo;s too late.&lt;/p></description></item><item><title>Nobody is going to shut down Telegram</title><link>https://ulveon.net/p/2024-08-25-nobody-is-going-to-shut-down-telegram/</link><pubDate>Sun, 25 Aug 2024 15:10:16 +0100</pubDate><guid>https://ulveon.net/p/2024-08-25-nobody-is-going-to-shut-down-telegram/</guid><description>&lt;p>At the time of writing, Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram was &lt;a class="link" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/telegram-messaging-app-ceo-pavel-durov-arrested-france-tf1-tv-says-2024-08-24/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
919. >arrested by French authorities</a> [<a class="link" href="https://archive.is/20240825062334/https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/telegram-messaging-app-ceo-pavel-durov-arrested-france-tf1-tv-says-2024-08-24/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
920. >archived version</a>].</p>
921. <p>As usual, a flurry of theories and panic ensued. I want to give my opinion on what’s going to happen next. At this time, I don’t believe Telegram is in any significant danger. Of course, things could change, but there’s absolutely no reason to panic right now.</p>
922. <p>Let’s review the facts.</p>
923. <h2 id="pavel-durovs-arrest">Pavel Durov’s arrest</h2>
924. <p>As much as I dislike Pavel Durov for being a greedy liar, like many other billionaires, the reality is Pavel <a class="link" href="https://www.euronews.com/next/2024/08/25/telegram-app-founder-pavel-durov-arrested-at-airport-in-france" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
925. >is wanted on charges of allowing drug dealers and sex criminals to operate on the app, according to French media</a> [<a class="link" href="https://archive.is/mW04z" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
926. >archived version</a>].</p>
927. <p>There are precedents for this. Pavel Durov is Telegram’s CEO, and earlier, Germany was considering <a class="link" href="https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2022/01/26/germany-considers-banning-telegram-app-accused-of-facilitating-hate-speech" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
928. >banning access to the platform</a> [<a class="link" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240530144350/https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2022/01/26/germany-considers-banning-telegram-app-accused-of-facilitating-hate-speech" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
929. >archived version</a>] on grounds of facilitating hate speech.</p>
930. <p>Of course, Pavel Durov lawyers <a class="link" href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckg2kz9kn93o" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
931. >disagree</a> [<a class="link" href="https://archive.is/20240825093813/https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckg2kz9kn93o" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
932. >archived version</a>] with the charges, but the reality is that Telegram is <a class="link" href="https://www.icct.nl/sites/default/files/import/publication/walther-and-mccoy-.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
933. >well-known</a> [<a class="link" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240213225006/https://www.icct.nl/sites/default/files/import/publication/walther-and-mccoy-.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
934. >archived version</a>] for facilitating terrorism, allowing terrorists to spread propaganda through their platform, but also <a class="link" href="https://fortune.com/crypto/2024/06/27/telegram-dark-net-black-market-goods-drugs-guns-crypto/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
935. >drugs</a> [<a class="link" href="https://archive.is/20240627115857/https://fortune.com/crypto/2024/06/27/telegram-dark-net-black-market-goods-drugs-guns-crypto/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
936. >archived version</a>], <a class="link" href="https://intellectual-property-helpdesk.ec.europa.eu/news-events/news/telegram-trouble-continued-ip-infringement-and-piracy-its-platform-eu-general-court-dismisses-ern-2024-03-28_en" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
937. >copyright infringement</a> [<a class="link" href="http://archive.today/AMzOQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
938. >archived version</a>], and more.</p>
939. <h2 id="a-legal-battle-would-last-years">A legal battle would last years</h2>
940. <p>If Durov wants to challenge this arrest warrant, which he most likely would, this would mean it would become a legal battle that would last for years, between appeals, hearings, and legal processes.</p>
941. <h2 id="telegram-has-no-servers-in-france">Telegram has no servers in France</h2>
942. <p><a class="link" href="https://docs.pyrogram.org/faq/what-are-the-ip-addresses-of-telegram-data-centers" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
943. >Source</a> [<a class="link" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240401020949/https://docs.pyrogram.org/faq/what-are-the-ip-addresses-of-telegram-data-centers" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
944. >archived version</a>]</p>
945. <p>Even if they did, a warrant could be issued to take these servers down. This is independent Pavel Durov’s personal warrant.</p>
946. <p>While Telegram has servers in other EU countries, like The Netherlands, a police raid would require a warrant issued by a Dutch court, which can happen regardless of whether Pavel Durov is in jail or has a warrant against him.</p>
947. <h2 id="telegram-is-incorporated-in-uae">Telegram is incorporated in UAE</h2>
948. <p><a class="link" href="https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/telegram-messenger" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
949. >Source</a> [<a class="link" href="https://archive.is/YakV5" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
950. >archived version</a>]</p>
951. <p>This means that even if the European data centers are raided and shut down, Telegram’s employees can still migrate the data to new servers located elsewhere from their UAE headquarters.</p>
952. <p>A separate warrant would be required to arrest UAE employees and/or shut down the company.</p>
953. <h2 id="telegram-does-moderate-content">Telegram <strong>does</strong> moderate content</h2>
954. <p>Telegram regularly shuts down spam accounts, <a class="link" href="https://t.me/s/stopCA" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
955. >delete channels related to child abuse</a>, tackle terrorist content, and there have been cases of <a class="link" href="https://www.newarab.com/news/whistleblower-telegram-channel-shut-down-after-israel-govt-leak" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
956. >Telegram taking down channels disseminating leaks</a> [<a class="link" href="http://archive.today/O9Qw2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
957. >archived version</a>], likely at the request of governments and law enforcement agencies.</p>
958. <p>So Telegram <em>does</em> moderate content. And they obey the law. At least sometimes, depending on what they consider reasonable or something like that.</p>
959. <p>And although <a class="link" href="https://www.wired.com/story/telegram-hamas-channels-deplatform/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
960. >their techniques are questionable</a> [<a class="link" href="http://archive.today/tFNHS" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
961. >archived version</a>], the reality is <strong>Telegram is very far from being a “free speech absolutist” platform</strong>. I don’t actually believe such thing exists. I talk more about free speech, and Pavel Durov in my previous post: <a class="link" href="https://ulveon.net/p/2024-01-10-free-speech-is-not-a-noble-goal-to-pursue/" >Free speech is not a noble goal to pursue</a>.</p>
962. <h2 id="russia-already-tried-to-block-telegram">Russia already tried to block Telegram</h2>
963. <p><a class="link" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blocking_of_Telegram_in_Russia" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
964. >It didn’t work</a>. Telegram remains one of the most censorship-resistant communication platforms.</p>
965. <p>Due to Telegram’s use of <a class="link" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domain_fronting" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
966. >Domain fronting</a>, <a class="link" href="https://techcrunch.com/2018/04/19/russias-game-of-telegram-whack-a-mole-grows-to-19m-blocked-ips-hitting-twitch-spotify-and-more/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
967. >Russia was looking to block millions of IP addresses</a> [<a class="link" href="https://archive.is/Q1YVs" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
968. >archived version</a>] which ultimately ended up blocking many legitimate businesses, including Russian websites and other AWS and Google Cloud customers.</p>
969. <p>Telegram’s Russian block was <a class="link" href="https://www.independent.co.uk/tech/telegram-russia-ban-lift-messaging-app-encryption-download-a9573181.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
970. >lifted in June 2020</a> [<a class="link" href="http://archive.today/YBIUU" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
971. >archived version</a>].</p>
972. <p>Although domain fronting is not easily achievable on Google Cloud or AWS anymore, there is strong evidence suggesting that Telegram will continue to fight legal challenges through technical means.</p>
973. <p>Another anti-censorship measure integrated into Telegram is <a class="link" href="https://github.com/TelegramMessenger/MTProxy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
974. >MTProto proxies</a>.</p>
975. <h2 id="there-are-easier-ways-to-shut-down-telegram">There are easier ways to shut down Telegram</h2>
976. <p>While Telegram doesn’t always comply with the law, if Google and Apple received warrants to take down the Telegram app, they would have to comply or face hefty fines. This is why <a class="link" href="https://www.theverge.com/2023/10/25/23931710/telegram-android-block-hamas-channels-google-play-guidelines-war-israel" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
977. >Telegram content on the official Google Play Store is sometimes censored</a> [<a class="link" href="http://archive.today/RMZLJ" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
978. >archived version</a>], whereas the website APK downloaded is not.</p>
979. <h2 id="but-what-if-pavel-durov-is-put-in-jail">But what if Pavel Durov is put in jail?</h2>
980. <p>In the beginning, it was Pavel Durov personally funding Telegram because he believed in the mission. For many years, Telegram operated completely for free, without ads, and without any kind of subscription.</p>
981. <p>Since then, Telegram has introduced Premium features that require payment.</p>
982. <p>The goal is for Telegram to gain financial independence and possibly bring in revenue. While Telegram is not a public entity and it is difficult to know whether they are running a deficit, or actually making money, I estimate Telegram is still losing money, given how keen they are on introducing payment features like the recent Telegram Stars <a class="link" href="https://telegram.org/tos/content-creator-rewards#2-2-paid-content" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
983. >which amount to 0.013 USD</a> per star received.</p>
984. <p><img src="https://ulveon.net/p/2024-08-25-nobody-is-going-to-shut-down-telegram/tg-stars.jpg"
985. width="353"
986. height="615"
987. srcset="https://ulveon.net/p/2024-08-25-nobody-is-going-to-shut-down-telegram/tg-stars_hu1178670518119893512.jpg 480w, https://ulveon.net/p/2024-08-25-nobody-is-going-to-shut-down-telegram/tg-stars_hu4008603156878735458.jpg 1024w"
988. loading="lazy"
989. alt="Telegram stars"
990. class="gallery-image"
991. data-flex-grow="57"
992. data-flex-basis="137px"
993. ></p>
994. <p>In this scenario, it is likely that Pavel Durov being arrested and put in jail could lead to chaos at Telegram if nobody is able to continue funding Telegram and Telegram remains financially dependant on him.</p>
995. <p>Regardless, as mentioned, if this was to happen, which is highly unlikely, as Durov’s lawyers will fight this case, this would take many, many years before coming to fruition.</p>
996. <h2 id="whats-next">What’s next?</h2>
997. <p>While this is a developing situation, and there don’t seem to be any indications of Telegram being shut down anytime soon, it’s worth remembering that Telegram has several techniques to safeguard your data and bypass censorship.</p>
998. <h3 id="download-the-app-from-the-website-or-use-webtelegramorg">Download the app from the website or use web.telegram.org</h3>
999. <p>For Android, you can <a class="link" href="https://telegram.org/android" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1000. >download the APK directly from Telegram</a>. This APK has access to certain content, including pornographic content and other content unavailable in the Google Play version.</p>
1001. <p>For other mobile operating systems, Telegram has a fully-featured web app available at <a class="link" href="https://web.telegram.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1002. >web.telegram.org</a>.</p>
1003. <h3 id="use-mtproto-proxies">Use MTProto proxies</h3>
1004. <p>There are <a class="link" href="https://duckduckgo.com/?t=h_&q=mtproto+proxy+list" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1005. >thousands of MTProto proxy lists</a> available.</p>
1006. <p>The way MTProto is developed means that proxy administrators cannot see any information, cannot read any private messages, know your username, or learn the groups you are in. However, they can display a “sponsored channel” on top of your chat list. Again, this does not mean you automatically join the channel upon using their proxy, or that they know your Telegram account details.</p>
1007. <p>Of course, it’s important to consider that running your own MTProto proxy, while possible, must be done in a country that’s not susceptible to blocking Telegram. For example: If Brazil blocks Telegram, you must seek an MTProto proxy outside of Brazil.</p>
1008. <h3 id="download-your-account-data">Download your account data</h3>
1009. <p>You can <a class="link" href="https://bugs.telegram.org/c/60" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1010. >export all your channels, groups, private messages, and any other information Telegram has regarding your account</a>.</p>
1011. <p>You can also <a class="link" href="https://telegram.org/blog/export-and-more" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1012. >export individual channels and groups</a>.</p>
1013. <p>It is recommended to do this regularly, especially if you store data in Telegram that doesn’t exist anywhere else, given their generous <a class="link" href="https://telegram.org/blog/profile-videos-people-nearby-and-more" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1014. >2 GB file quota</a> which increases to 4 GB for Premium subscribers.</p>
1015. <h2 id="changelog">Changelog</h2>
1016. <p>Since publishing this article, the following content has been modified:</p>
1017. <ul>
1018. <li>Added “But what if Pavel Durov is put in jail?” section</li>
1019. &lt;/ul></description></item><item><title>The implicit social contract: the division of labour</title><link>https://ulveon.net/p/2024-06-07-the-implicit-social-contract-the-division-of-labour/</link><pubDate>Fri, 07 Jun 2024 20:34:09 +0100</pubDate><guid>https://ulveon.net/p/2024-06-07-the-implicit-social-contract-the-division-of-labour/</guid><description>&lt;p>I&amp;rsquo;ve observed an interesting phenomenon that I believe is the base for any economy, capitalist, communist, socialist, or else, and it might very well an intrinsic part of who we are, collectively, as a species. The division of labour has existed since ancient times, way before Homo Sapiens were roaming Earth. The division of labour exists, to a certain extent in animal communities too. There are leaders, hunters, protectors, and other roles. Naturally, as living standards increase, technology advances, and materials improve, we tend to hyperspecialise.&lt;/p>
1020. <p>There is, for sure, such a thing as “too many workers”, or “too many man-hours”. This is especially prevalent in the capitalist corporate space, where people spend countless hours in unproductive video meetings or navigating corporate bureaucracy that adds little value. If those inefficiencies are ironed out, it is theoretically possible to reduce the number of employees while outputting the same exact economic value.</p>
1021. <p>The opposite is also true, there can be “too little work”. This is one of the main drivers for emigration, especially when people don’t find what they like doing in their home country. There can be many reasons for this phenomenon, but it’s not a desirable situation, as in a capitalist system, idle workers represent a loss of potential.</p>
1022. <p>While I consider this a serious problem, it is arguably one that capitalism addresses. That is because in a capitalist system, everything is incentivised through money. If you don’t work, you do not receive any money. And you in turn require this money to pay for your electricity, water, and food. As everything has become commoditised, those without money simply are not accounted for. Different countries have social safety nets, to varying degrees, and, for example, some countries are more or less generous with their unemployment benefits, but, as a general rule, anyone who is not contributing to society in some way, will have a negative net social contract status in which they take more than they provide.</p>
1023. <p>By this, what I mean is: any person has a set of basic needs that need to be met in order to ensure their survival. Let’s use water as an example. In highly developed nations like Norway, Netherlands, Switzerland or Austria, clean, safe drinking water is all but guaranteed. And those water pipes, filtration plants, pumping stations and other infrastructure required people to build. This people in turn depend on software engineers to write the code that allows them to make plans on their computer, civil engineers planning out how to lay the pipes out, experts in sanitation setting up testing methodologies and water purity thresholds and so on, but they will also require farmers harvesting food for them to eat, car factory workers building the cars they need to get to their jobs, making every single individual highly dependent on their environment.</p>
1024. <p>Communism, socialism, and social democracy differ from capitalism primarily because they provide support for individuals who cannot work or earn below a sustainable living wage, which capitalism does not.</p>
1025. <p>Many capitalism proponents like to reduce capitalism down to one simple sentence: “<a class="link" href="https://www.socialistpartyni.org/theory/socialism-101/socialism-101-doesnt-capitalism-incentivise-hard-work-because-people-are-motivated-by-money/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1026. >Capitalism, savings, and hard work</a>” [<a class="link" href="https://archive.is/b8I6B" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1027. >archived version</a>]. The implication being socialists and communists are just lazy people who leech off society. This is fallacious and dismissive, and here’s an illustrative example:</p>
1028. <ul>
1029. <li>If you are born into a wealthy family, you likely enjoy a comfortable childhood with high-quality education, courtesy of your parents’ support. This privilege can lead to greater opportunities, such as starting a business with family funds or securing a prestigious job as a pilot, surgeon, or banker—opportunities typically inaccessible to those from less affluent backgrounds.</li>
1030. <li>Conversely, being born into a family with limited means often means starting work early, with education sacrificed for immediate financial needs, thus diminishing long-term earning potential.</li>
1031. </ul>
1032. <p>A situation of a poor lower-class family doesn’t necessarily have to be your fault. Yes, there are children born in lower-class families that turn into business geniuses and become billionaires. And there are also stories of rich families that go bankrupt because of a mismanagement of their wealth. But it is very easy to conclude that the richer you are, the higher amount of failures you can take before you are shoved into the path of financial ruin.</p>
1033. <p>Not everyone can change their own financial situation due to a variety of structural and systemic factors that advantage some while disadvantaging others. There is no universal solution that can be applied in all circumstances to lift people out of poverty or economic hardship, and capitalism is certainly no exception.</p>
1034. <p>The question then becomes whether we view unemployment as a choice or a systemic issue.</p>
1035. <h2 id="the-communist-view">The communist view</h2>
1036. <p>The ideas stated in the Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx, considered the father of the communist revolution, revolve around a few simple principles:</p>
1037. <ul>
1038. <li>The bourgeoisie, or owners of capital, oppress and control the lower classes of society, known as the proletariat, and benefit from cheap labour.</li>
1039. <li>The means of production not being controlled by the working class means workers are essentially forced to toil away, receiving the pay the owners of these means of production decide to set, with minimal leverage.</li>
1040. <li>The relationship between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat is inherently exploitative, leading to class conflict which Marx believed would ultimately lead to the overthrow of the bourgeoisie.</li>
1041. <li>Marx advocated for the abolition of private property as it relates to the means of production, believing that this would prevent the accumulation of wealth and power in the hands of a few and distribute it more equally among the proletariat.</li>
1042. <li>The Manifesto calls for a revolution by the proletariat to overthrow the bourgeoisie and establish a communist society characterized by the absence of class distinctions, private property, and the state.</li>
1043. <li>The final goal, according to Marx, is the establishment of a classless, stateless society where the means of production are owned collectively.</li>
1044. </ul>
1045. <p>The criticism this piece receives is usually to the tune of “the bourgeoisie own the means of production because they worked hard and saved to be able to afford it, so this private property should be respected, and everyone be allowed the opportunity to achieve the same”, which seems to be little more than an excuse to incentivise exploitation and employee abuse, just because that current bourgeoisie may have previously endured abuse and exploitation.</p>
1046. <p>One important characteristic in the view of Karl Marx with regards to the division of labour is that he didn’t believe in the inflexible system of professional careers that we see in today’s capitalism. People would be free to explore and cultivate multiple capabilities throughout their lives. This would prioritise personal preference, but also, most likely, would make individuals more productive because they would be happier.</p>
1047. <p>Important to note here is that Marx’s ideas include work as a fundamental building block of society, where the community and social relations would encourage all capable individuals to contribute without the coercive pressures found in capitalist societies.</p>
1048. <p>The way I see it, Karl Marx also understands the implicit social contract as described, and even removing currency, and the figure of the State, it is easy to see how a society where not working was the norm would collapse relatively quickly. The difference lies in Marx preferring to use carrots in contrast to the capitalist stick (or sticks) of homelessness, poverty, bankruptcy and more.</p>
1049. <h2 id="the-capitalist-view">The capitalist view</h2>
1050. <p>In capitalism, there’s no such thing as “safety nets” or “collaboration”. You work, you earn money. You don’t work, you don’t earn money. And if you do not have sufficient money to sustain your living expenses, you simply go bankrupt and get evicted. Zero consideration is given to those who are unable to work due to disability, old age, discrimination, economic recessions, and other circumstances outside of a person’s control. People who don’t want to or can’t work are often considered leeches.</p>
1051. <p>This, on one hand, incentivises people to work really hard, especially those who are in poverty, so they can get out of poverty one day. On the other, it is a brutal view of the human condition. People who can’t work because they have a disability are not any less deserving of respect and care. Anyone could become disabled or severely injured from an accident or illness. This, in turn, can temporarily or permanently reduce your earnings potential. Nobody chooses to be born disabled, or to become disabled.</p>
1052. <p>In practice, the capitalist approach to the division of labour inevitably leads to alienated workers, performing a job they don’t like, but are coerced into, under threat of poverty. For example, consider fast food jobs. You will rarely (if ever) see a fast food worker wanting to make it their career. The pay is not great, the conditions are terrible, and there’s basically zero room for growth. This can actually be attributed to the fact capitalism separates workers into categories, according to their education level. The best educated workers (white collar) tend to be admired and celebrated, and they earn good wages. In comparison, fast food is an industry where everything is broken down into such small, simple, repetitive steps that even someone with zero education would be able to serve hamburgers and fries: that’s why it is so cheap.</p>
1053. <p>The alternative to this is to study to get to a bachelor level or higher, and then build a career in a well-paid industry like all kinds of engineering, medicine, or similar. As mentioned earlier, it is expected that a person with a high wage in a capitalist society will be a highly motivated individual who has dedicated their entire life to perfecting a very specific craft.</p>
1054. <p>This touches on the question of fair compensation. Under capitalism, it is understood that “fair compensation” relates to market-driven wages, where the law of supply and demand dictate workers’ salary bands, but while this addresses problems like lack of workers, or an oversupply of them, it does not address the living wage, which often exists above what minimum-wage jobs pay.</p>
1055. <h2 id="the-bottom-line">The bottom line</h2>
1056. <p>As you can see, in both communism and capitalism this concept of division of labour exists.</p>
1057. <p>All societies need farmers, shopkeepers, baristas, civil engineers, nurses, and train drivers. Some professions are easier than others to learn. Some professions have a very high barrier of entry (think airplane pilots or surgeons), and they also tend to be the best paid jobs.</p>
1058. <p>What is interesting is how different societies, with varying degrees of socialism, communism, and capitalist features approach the problem of idle people.</p>
1059. <p>In capitalism, everything is done at the service of capital. For example: You study to earn a lot of money. Nobody would study if studying lowered wages. Therefore, there’s a mechanism to ensure a strong, cohesive society where everyone collaborates towards a common goal.</p>
1060. <p>But in many versions of communism and socialism, this does not seem to be a concern. It is generally accepted that there might be people who can’t (or don’t want to) work, or at least, not work in a productive, capitalist sense, and simply want to dedicate themselves to art and/or possibly other hedonistic pursuits. This may not produce tangible results in a capitalist sense. Artists don’t invent groundbreaking technologies that make our life easier, like the microwave oven or airplanes, but they are an essential part of society, often drawing attention to society’s shortcomings and defining cultural eras.</p>
1061. <p>Would these people be in breach of the implicit social contract? This can also reflect at a smaller level: Would you be happy supporting a friend who never gives back throughout your entire life? Would you be happy simply giving money and/or emotional support to someone who is never there for you? It seems to me this would create a social imbalance, and even though the phrase “Give without expecting anything in return” might be idealistic and perhaps desirable, this does not seem to be the default state of people.</p>
1062. <h2 id="in-conclusion">In conclusion</h2>
1063. <p>The implicit social contract underpins the collective society of humans. Labour specialisation brings us brilliant civil engineers; who build bridges and innovative traffic control systems, excellent mathematicians; who discover new ways to transmit data in more efficient ways, or Linear Algebra and Calculus which are the base of modern computers, chefs cook delicious food, plumbers ensure safe and sanitary pipework, and electricians manage cables safely.</p>
1064. <p>People in any society must be specialised in different occupations, and the implicit social contract must be respected by all parties such that nobody takes more than they contribute back, and thus there’s a certain equilibrium.</p>
1065. <p>This also means that studying whatever you are mentally and emotionally inclined to study might mean that you end up with a very expensive degree but no jobs are available due to a low supply of employers seeking new employees.</p>
1066. <p>We have grown accustomed to studying what we want, but I find it hard to believe people really are working where they want to work, as a general rule. I don’t think job satisfaction has increased or decreased particularly over the centuries. And while, for example, it is easy to see ending slavery was the correct thing to do, to me it seems slavery still exists, but we just call it something else.</p>
1067. <p>When families get evicted because they can’t pay rent. Isn’t that slavery?
1068. When your parents disown you, and you’re forced to fend for yourself for things you didn’t choose to be, such as sexual orientation. Isn’t that slavery?
1069. When you have a job, and you know your boss can fire you whenever he deems appropriate, without any consequences towards him. Isn’t that slavery?</p>
1070. &lt;p>Are we really free to choose? Or are we just doomed to, regardless of political or socioeconomic system, have a vast amount of people who are deeply unhappy about their occupation?&lt;/p></description></item><item><title>Microsoft doesn't love Linux</title><link>https://ulveon.net/p/2024-04-21-microsoft-doesnt-love-linux/</link><pubDate>Sun, 21 Apr 2024 19:34:09 +0100</pubDate><guid>https://ulveon.net/p/2024-04-21-microsoft-doesnt-love-linux/</guid><description>&lt;p>Some time ago, Microsoft &lt;a class="link" href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/blog/2015/05/06/microsoft-loves-linux/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1071. >announced a surprising shift in stance</a> [<a class="link" href="https://archive.is/jHKOO" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1072. >archived version</a>] with their newfound affection for Linux. This marked a notable departure from the era of Steve Ballmer, whose approach was <a class="link" href="https://www.theregister.com/2001/06/02/ballmer_linux_is_a_cancer/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1073. >considerably more hostile</a> [<a class="link" href="http://archive.today/swg2o" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1074. >archived version</a>] towards competing operating systems, including Android and Linux, and the GPL license.</p>
1075. <p>In the present day, Microsoft has taken to releasing a plethora of immensely successful projects as entirely open source, which includes Visual Studio Code, TypeScript, and even .NET, effectively replacing Mono, which formerly functioned as a the only third-party re-implementation of the .NET framework, of significant importance in non-Windows environments. Considering these facts, it is understandable to be tempted to conclude that Microsoft has finally adopted a different approach.</p>
1076. <h2 id="when-microsoft-was-evil">When Microsoft was evil</h2>
1077. <p>In 1998, the <a class="link" href="https://www.gnu.org/software/fsfe/projects/ms-vs-eu/halloween1.html#_Toc427495715" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1078. >Halloween documents</a> [<a class="link" href="http://archive.today/l4vkk" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1079. >archived version</a>] were leaked. They are a series of confidential Microsoft memos that provided insight into Microsoft’s strategic thinking regarding the concept of freely available software. Among the strategies proposed in this document, Microsoft aimed to <strong>discredit open source</strong>, <strong>“extend and embrace”</strong> (more commonly known in open source circles as <em>“embrace, extend, extinguish”</em> or <em>EEE</em>), and <em>legal threats</em> under intellectual property law as a mechanism to discourage the adoption of open source.</p>
1080. <p>In 2001, <a class="link" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Corp._v._Lindows.com,_Inc." target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1081. >Microsoft sued Lindows</a>, which was a Linux-based operating system designed mainly with Windows users in mind. As such, the user interface replicates much of the Windows desktop design language and most well-known for its ability to run Microsoft Windows applications thanks to the Wine compatibility layer, that serves as a reimplementation of many common Windows APIs.</p>
1082. <h2 id="microsoft-is-good-now">Microsoft is… good now?</h2>
1083. <p>With the change of leadership from Steve Ballmer to Satya Nadella, Microsoft shifted their stance into a much more collaborative and open, with notable events such as the release of .NET as open source in 2014, the launch of the free Visual Studio Code for Mac, Windows, and Linux in 2015, joining the Linux Foundation, releasing SQL Server for Linux and launching the first version of Windows Subsystem for Linux all in 2016.</p>
1084. <p>But the company was already changing even before Satya Nadella joined; In 2009, Microsoft contributed 20k LOC directly into the Linux kernel. This event took the world by storm, and marked such a dramatic departure from the old Microsoft ways that even <a class="link" href="https://www.redhat.com/en/blog/red-hat-welcomes-microsofts-kernel-contribution" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1085. >Red Hat commented on it</a> [<a class="link" href="http://archive.today/NHLKA" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1086. >archived version</a>].</p>
1087. <p>So what was the contribution about? Hyper-V drivers. They wanted Linux to work better under Hyper-V, which is a proprietary virtualisation technology found in Windows, for both consumer and Server editions. These drivers, while not essential, allow Linux to achieve higher performance when ran inside a Windows virtual environment. This, in addition to Microsoft contributions towards FreeRDP, which is a free and open source implementation of RDP typically used in Linux systems, makes the Enhanced Session Mode work much better.</p>
1088. <p>So this wasn’t really centred around Linux that much, and more about allowing Windows users to virtualise Linux. This would later become even more important with the introduction of Microsoft Azure and their Linux server offerings.</p>
1089. <p>This strategy aligns with Microsoft’s actions over the past decade. It suggests that their contributions are not merely out of a preference for Linux or a commitment to open source, but are mainly motivated by strategic business interests as both a way to foster a better image of the company in typically Microsoft-hostile circles, and, perhaps more importantly, growing Microsoft’s profits by either integrating open source or features of Linux directly into their desktop and server offerings, or releasing projects like Visual Studio Code or Microsoft Edge on Linux so they can enjoy a much wider audience, and of course receive large amounts of telemetry data from these Linux users.</p>
1090. <h2 id="can-there-ever-be-good-honest-corporate-open-source-leaders">Can there ever be good, honest corporate open source leaders?</h2>
1091. <p>It is unlikely. But in truth, Microsoft is far from the only self-serving software company that uses the open source community as a vehicle for profit generation.</p>
1092. <p>Apple is also guilty of taking from the community (in the form of FreeBSD), and contributing little to nothing back; for example, has managed to take macOS to where it is today largely thanks to BSD OS which served as a base for NeXT, which in turn Mac OS X (and later macOS) were based on. Like with Microsoft, there are some open source contributions coming from Apple. Most notably, Bonjour (zeroconf, an implementation of multicast DNS) and CUPS (Common Unix Printing System) are two of the largest open source contributions that Apple has released, however, somewhat hypocritically, despite BSD having provided a solid foundation for Apple’s success nowadays in macOS, iPhone and iPads, Apple <a class="link" href="https://www.zdnet.com/article/no-gpl-apps-for-apples-app-store/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1093. >categorically forbids GPL-licensed applications in their App Store</a> [<a class="link" href="http://archive.today/1xJf0" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1094. >archived version</a>]</p>
1095. <p>Other examples: Valve has made Linux gaming a reality and has contributed massively to open source community, even going as far as <a class="link" href="https://github.com/ValveSoftware/Proton" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1096. >releasing Proton</a> which is a tool that uses Wine mainly to run Windows videogames on Linux. This is mostly a net positive, except for the fact that Valve is in the game distribution business, and it is in their best interest to allow you to play your games on as many platforms as possible, this ensures competitors that have Linux software launchers are one step behind, while simultaneously allowing them to release gaming consoles for much cheaper because they get to bypass Windows licensing fees. Among other things, Gabe Newell, Valve’s CEO, has <a class="link" href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2012/07/steams-newell-windows-8-catastrophe-driving-valve-to-embrace-linux/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1097. >expressed concerns about the direction of Microsoft regarding the personal computer</a> [<a class="link" href="http://archive.today/u6NTf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1098. >archived link</a>].</p>
1099. &lt;p>While Valve investing so much time and effort into Linux is definitely good news, especially for Linux gamers, it is important to consider Valve is doing this exclusively because it&amp;rsquo;s good for their profit margins. They don&amp;rsquo;t care too much about the open source community. Again, this is fairly normal, but I think it is very important to call it out. Corporations are not charities. Their only reason to exist is to make money; preferably more of it rather than less.&lt;/p></description></item><item><title>You don't need to own your home, you just need a place to live in</title><link>https://ulveon.net/p/2024-04-17-you-dont-need-to-own-your-home-you-just-need-a-place-to-live-in/</link><pubDate>Wed, 17 Apr 2024 20:00:00 +0100</pubDate><guid>https://ulveon.net/p/2024-04-17-you-dont-need-to-own-your-home-you-just-need-a-place-to-live-in/</guid><description>&lt;p>The entire world is in a housing crisis at the moment. And at times, it might seem like this has been going on for almost two decades, ever since the financial crisis of 2008.&lt;/p>
1100. <p>Housing prices in the EU have risen sometimes over 100% between 2010 and 2023, with the fastest increases in Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, and Austria, only decreasing in Greece, Italy and Cyprus, according to the <a class="link" href="https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-eurostat-news/w/ddn-20240110-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1101. >Eurostat</a> [<a class="link" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240112064704/https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-eurostat-news/w/ddn-20240110-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1102. >archived version</a>].</p>
1103. <p><img src="https://ulveon.net/p/2024-04-17-you-dont-need-to-own-your-home-you-just-need-a-place-to-live-in/real_estate_rent.png"
1104. width="1921"
1105. height="1080"
1106. srcset="https://ulveon.net/p/2024-04-17-you-dont-need-to-own-your-home-you-just-need-a-place-to-live-in/real_estate_rent_hu4706373244862964902.png 480w, https://ulveon.net/p/2024-04-17-you-dont-need-to-own-your-home-you-just-need-a-place-to-live-in/real_estate_rent_hu15532275594664320858.png 1024w"
1107. loading="lazy"
1108. alt="Real estate prices compared against rent prices"
1109. class="gallery-image"
1110. data-flex-grow="177"
1111. data-flex-basis="426px"
1112. ></p>
1113. <p>Considering this, the usual tendency is to buy a house as soon as one can afford it, and consider this an “investment”. This will also result in not having to pay rent to a private landlord for living in one of their properties. This is great, generally speaking, as many see landlords as parasitic.</p>
1114. <p>There are, of course, several problems with this. Second Thought has <a class="link" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1m7WmKJZyQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1115. >a video on landlords</a>. But, in summary, the reason landlords have a property is that others don’t. Housing is a finite resource, after all.</p>
1116. <div class="video-wrapper">
1117. <iframe loading="lazy"
1118. src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/m1m7WmKJZyQ"
1119. allowfullscreen
1120. title="YouTube Video"
1121. >
1122. </iframe>
1123. </div>
1124. <p>The Almería University published <a class="link" href="https://www.cde.ual.es/en/age-of-young-people-leaving-their-parental-household-in-europe/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1125. >an article</a> [<a class="link" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20231031162121/https://www.cde.ual.es/web/20231031162121/https://www.cde.ual.es/en/age-of-young-people-leaving-their-parental-household-in-europe/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1126. >archived version</a>] on the age of young people leaving their parental household across Europe.</p>
1127. <p><img src="https://ulveon.net/p/2024-04-17-you-dont-need-to-own-your-home-you-just-need-a-place-to-live-in/youth_independence.png"
1128. width="800"
1129. height="400"
1130. srcset="https://ulveon.net/p/2024-04-17-you-dont-need-to-own-your-home-you-just-need-a-place-to-live-in/youth_independence_hu17826968379063132111.png 480w, https://ulveon.net/p/2024-04-17-you-dont-need-to-own-your-home-you-just-need-a-place-to-live-in/youth_independence_hu13950635789471805670.png 1024w"
1131. loading="lazy"
1132. alt="Average age of men and women leaving their parents home"
1133. class="gallery-image"
1134. data-flex-grow="200"
1135. data-flex-basis="480px"
1136. ></p>
1137. <p>It is very apparent how, the richer a country is, the earlier one leaves the parental household on average. The difference is quite stark, too, with Croatia having an average age of 35 for men, which means more than a decade of working and paying taxes, whereas in Sweden it is under 20, which means many university students will leave their home even before graduating. This is unprecedented.</p>
1138. <p>Besides this, it is also interesting to see how the <a class="link" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_home_ownership_rate" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1139. >rates of home ownership</a> in poorer EU countries like Hungary, Slovakia, or Poland is higher than in some rich countries like Austria, Denmark, or Switzerland.</p>
1140. <p>These two factors combined mean that, while people in poorer countries leave their parent’s home later, they usually buy, whereas people in richer countries leave their parent’s home sooner, but rent.</p>
1141. <p>The usual route for renting a home is to rent from a private landlord. Either a corporation that owns an entire building complex, or a family that has a second home they bought to receive passive income from rent. However, that’s not all that exists.</p>
1142. <h2 id="renting-around-the-world">Renting around the world</h2>
1143. <p>In some cities, like <a class="link" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41VJudBdYXY" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1144. >Vienna</a>, public housing is not just for poor people or marginalised communities, but a reality so tangible that it drives private housing development prices down, as the public houses are not worse in quality than the private market.</p>
1145. <div class="video-wrapper">
1146. <iframe loading="lazy"
1147. src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/41VJudBdYXY"
1148. allowfullscreen
1149. title="YouTube Video"
1150. >
1151. </iframe>
1152. </div>
1153. <p>As such, landlords don’t have a big incentive to charge exorbitant rents, because they’re competing against high-quality housing in the public sector. And people who rent have more choice and more leverage.</p>
1154. <p>Amsterdam is another city that applies rent control mechanisms, with 75% of the rental market consisting of social housing. Rents in Amsterdam are capped based on a points system that takes into consideration factors such as location, energy efficiency, and amenities. Copenhagen also uses a points system, and it strictly regulates buildings constructed before 1991 to maintain their affordability, without impeding recent developments that may have a higher price in the private housing market.</p>
1155. <h2 id="the-benefits-of-home-ownership">The benefits of home ownership</h2>
1156. <p>Of course, perhaps, one massive drawback of public housing is, while the rents are low, you never own that home, because it belongs to the government. This is, strictly speaking, true. But this may not matter as much as people think it does.</p>
1157. <p>I believe that we have been taught to believe that owning your home is an investment, and it offers a safety guarantee against evictions due to not paying rent. Furthermore, it enables you to buy more properties in the future and rent some of them to generate a passive income, for retirement or to supplement your pension.</p>
1158. <p>The problem with this logic is that it perpetuates exploitation. Exploitation by the capitalists and <a class="link" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petite_bourgeoisie" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1159. >petite bourgeoisie</a> against the younger generations, immigrants, and people with fewer means or who cannot get a mortgage.</p>
1160. <p>Landlords are hated, and there is a lot to be said about the way they abuse their position in society against the less financially able. I find it egregious and unacceptable that a corporation can buy (or build) a block of apartments and then make profit through charging rent, for, often, very little service offered, as utilities are not included, and, in seeking to maximise profit, these corporations will try to repair as few things as possible, and only to the extent the law requires them to. It makes sense: companies exist to turn a profit through spending as little as possible, and receiving as much income as possible to have a net positive balance. The more repairs a housing corporation performs, the less profit it earns. So the system incentivises these companies to blame the tenant for every repair and problem instead of fixing this themselves.</p>
1161. <p>With private families the situation is similar, with the key difference these families will often not have a legion of lawyers just to allow them to tread the sometimes fuzzy line between repairs that are responsibility of the landlord, and those repairs that are the responsibility of the tenant, thus, common sense will play a part here when deciding when to carry repairs out.</p>
1162. <p>In a situation where it’s the government who manages the rental units, there is an incentive to offer good quality housing at affordable prices; especially in democratic countries. As a bad performance for social housing can simply mean the government gets voted out of office. Nobody likes low-quality overpriced housing other than landlords. And this is where the issue lies, I think. Misaligned incentives, where landlords are trying to maximise profit, and renters are trying to maximise savings. A landlord is not required, and will likely never take the side of the renter. Landlords are running a business, not a charity. With a government running this, things would be much different.</p>
1163. <h2 id="whats-left-for-renters">What’s left for renters?</h2>
1164. <p>Because of a variety of factors, renters often have very little leverage and choice over the type and quality of housing unit they can rent.</p>
1165. <p>For example, landlords often only provide renters with the year of construction and allow them to observe with their own eyes during the inspection. But if, for example, the landlord didn’t invest in solar panels, the electricity bill could prove costly. Even where the landlord allows the renter to install solar panels, these are an expensive investment, and installing and uninstalling them when moving out can cost hundreds of dollars, plus transportation, and the chance for these panels to break during work increases.</p>
1166. <p>This is quite a perverse system, and the reality, as Vienna shows, is that <strong>it doesn’t have to be</strong>. Housing can be affordable with the adequate policies in place. Public housing can be accessible, high-quality, and stable for the long term. This is not only not some sort of utopian world, but the reality in many parts of the world.</p>
1167. <p>However, because in many cultures this “need” to own a house is more or less ingrained in the society and culture, this will mean that a considerable portion of the population will be landlords or own their home, which makes rent control and public housing projects unfeasible, as there is no logical reason for most people who bought an expensive house to allow themselves to be undercut by a government programme. The people who already own a house will think of themselves as hard workers, and seek to confirm their biases by considering most people who don’t own a house are young or lazy (for a definition of “lazy”, naturally).</p>
1168. &lt;p>If countries ever wish to tackle the never-ending housing crisis, a drastic culture change is required. Housing must stop representing a safe investment while simultaneously making it attractive for newer housing units to be built. Or perhaps the government takes complete control of this and forces the private market to compete against high-quality affordable housing, inevitably driving prices down.&lt;/p></description></item><item><title>Free speech is not a noble goal to pursue</title><link>https://ulveon.net/p/2024-01-10-free-speech-is-not-a-noble-goal-to-pursue/</link><pubDate>Wed, 10 Jan 2024 19:35:56 +0100</pubDate><guid>https://ulveon.net/p/2024-01-10-free-speech-is-not-a-noble-goal-to-pursue/</guid><description>&lt;p>Freedom and free speech have always been topics of deep interest to me. Historically, I&amp;rsquo;ve been a firm advocate for free speech, aligning myself with &lt;a class="link" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pirate_Party" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1169. >Pirate Party</a> principles.</p>
1170. <p>Later on, during my political explorations, I briefly ventured into libertarianism and “free speech absolutism” which led me to consider many other possible arguments, such as the right to free information from a journalistic perspective. For example: “Why should the government get to decide what kind of news I am allowed to read?” Surely, governments would have a strong incentive to not allow dissenting information that could threaten their grip on power.</p>
1171. <p>However, recent developments have prompted me to reevaluate my views on free speech and freedom at large. On a few occasions, I found myself falling into the slippery slope of “all speech should be allowed and protected”. But should it?</p>
1172. <h2 id="definitions">Definitions</h2>
1173. <h3 id="what-is-speech">What is “speech”?</h3>
1174. <p>Traditionally, “speech” is associated with words, but this view is too narrow. Is journalism speech? Is art speech? Is pornography speech? Are organised public protests speech?</p>
1175. <p>Broadening “freedom of speech” to include non-verbal manifestations like paintings or organised protests yields a more accurate depiction of the multitude of ways people can express themselves. However, it is still extraordinarily difficult to agree on a single definition of “speech” that satisfies everyone. The Supreme Court of the United States <a class="link" href="https://www.uscourts.gov/about-federal-courts/educational-resources/about-educational-outreach/activity-resources/what-does" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1176. >has some examples available</a> [<a class="link" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20231230234541/https://www.uscourts.gov/about-federal-courts/educational-resources/about-educational-outreach/activity-resources/what-does" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1177. >archived version</a>] that may help shed light onto this poorly-defined topic:</p>
1178. <p>According to US courts, free speech includes the right to:</p>
1179. <ul>
1180. <li>use certain offensive words and phrases to convey political messages.</li>
1181. <li>engage in symbolic speech, (e.g., burning the flag in protest).</li>
1182. </ul>
1183. <p>But it does not include the right:</p>
1184. <ul>
1185. <li>to make or distribute obscene materials.</li>
1186. <li>of students to make an obscene speech at a school-sponsored event.</li>
1187. </ul>
1188. <p>From these examples, it is not immediately clear what “offensive” or “obscene” mean, which would require further discussion, and stray away from the primary purpose of this post.</p>
1189. <h3 id="what-is-freedom">What is freedom?</h3>
1190. <p>Is freedom being able to do whatever you want, at any time? Is your freedom being infringed upon when there are consequences to your acts?</p>
1191. <p>For example, you can argue that you’re not really free if the police jails or fines you for your acts. When driving a car, your freedom is limited by road speed limits: you cannot drive as fast as you want. In certain countries, insulting the King or President can also have serious legal repercussions.</p>
1192. <p>But what about non-government entities? Are you free to express your sexual orientation at school if your other classmates will bully you for doing so? Are you free to download copyrighted content from file-sharing websites if the RIAA will sue you for it? Can you truly be free if you’re one layoff away from financial ruin?</p>
1193. <p>I can only conclude that every person has a different opinion on free speech. What qualifies as such, and what doesn’t qualify. What should be allowed, and what should not be allowed. This automatically means that people using “free speech” as an argument would then have to define this concept accurately and in a way that leaves no room for misunderstanding. Otherwise, these discussions will never be productive beyond a political goal of shutting down your opponent by accusing them of violating freedom of speech.</p>
1194. <h2 id="the-warriors-of-free-speech">The warriors of free speech</h2>
1195. <p>At the moment, there are many proponents of free speech. Among them, you can find figures such as Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, Elon Musk, Twitter’s current CEO, and Donald Trump, the 45th President of the United States.</p>
1196. <p>The issue with these figures is that they often do not believe in the type of freedom of speech they publicly defend. This is especially the case for their political opponents, which they seek to cancel and discredit.</p>
1197. <h3 id="pavel-durov-and-telegram">Pavel Durov and Telegram</h3>
1198. <p>Pavel Durov, a notorious free speech advocate, CEO of Telegram, and founder of Vkontakte—Russia’s largest social network—has loudly stood in favour of free speech, sometimes <a class="link" href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/oct/14/telegram-warned-of-nurturing-subculture-deifying-terrorists" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1199. >at the cost of terrorist content</a> [<a class="link" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20231009175404/https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/oct/14/telegram-warned-of-nurturing-subculture-deifying-terrorists" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1200. >archived version</a>].</p>
1201. <p>Many organisations have shed light on how terrorists abuse and take advantage of Telegram’s “free speech” stance to spread terrorist propaganda:</p>
1202. <ul>
1203. <li><a class="link" href="https://www.counterextremism.com/sites/default/files/2022-07/Terrorists%20on%20Telegram_072122.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1204. >Counter Extremism Project report</a> [<a class="link" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20230609071300/https://www.counterextremism.com/sites/default/files/2022-07/Terrorists%20on%20Telegram_072122.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1205. >archived version</a>]</li>
1206. <li><a class="link" href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/26466833" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1207. >Journal of Strategic Security, Vol. 10, No. 3 (Fall 2017), pp. 27-53</a></li>
1208. <li><a class="link" href="https://www.oporaua.org/en/polit_ad/freedom-of-speech-in-russian-hands-how-russia-uses-telegram-for-informational-occupation-24883" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1209. >OPORA article</a> [<a class="link" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20230930204105/https://oporaua.org/en/polit_ad/freedom-of-speech-in-russian-hands-how-russia-uses-telegram-for-informational-occupation-24883" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1210. >archived version</a>]</li>
1211. </ul>
1212. <p>Please note, while Telegram has end-to-end encryption capabilities, the <a class="link" href="https://telegra.ph/Why-Isnt-Telegram-End-to-End-Encrypted-by-Default-08-14" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1213. >default private chats are not encrypted</a> [<a class="link" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20231214091929/https://telegra.ph/Why-Isnt-Telegram-End-to-End-Encrypted-by-Default-08-14" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1214. >archived version</a>]. And most of this terrorist content the articles discuss is spread via public channels and public group chats.</p>
1215. <p>This appears to be one of the unfortunate realities of applying the free speech concept and its lax moderation practices universally across a platform like Telegram with such a diverse user base.</p>
1216. <p>Telegram also promised to be <a class="link" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20200131012917/https://telegram.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1217. >“free forever. No ads. No subscription fees.”</a>. Today, however, Telegram has both <a class="link" href="https://telegram.org/faq_premium" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1218. >subscription fees</a> and <a class="link" href="https://promote.telegram.org/getting-started" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1219. >ads</a> in channels.</p>
1220. <h3 id="elon-musk">Elon Musk</h3>
1221. <p>In March 2022, before Elon Musk made an offer to buy Twitter, he <a class="link" href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1507259709224632344" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1222. >posted a poll asking</a> [<a class="link" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20231129055136/https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1507259709224632344" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1223. >archived version</a>]:</p>
1224. <blockquote>
1225. <p>Free speech is essential to a functioning democracy.<br>
1226. Do you believe Twitter rigorously adheres to this principle?</p>
1227. </blockquote>
1228. <p>Another <a class="link" href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1499976967105433600?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1229. >example where he is explicit on his free speech intentions</a> [<a class="link" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20230724040534/https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1499976967105433600?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1230. >archived version</a>]:</p>
1231. <blockquote>
1232. <p>Starlink has been told by some governments (not Ukraine) to block Russian news sources. We will not do so unless at gunpoint.<br>
1233. Sorry to be a free speech absolutist.</p>
1234. </blockquote>
1235. <p>In principle, some people would agree with Musk in that free speech is necessary. Even I used to. But in order for freedom of speech to be useful, it must be possible for anyone to use it, regardless of political orientation, ethnic identity, or social background. This quickly breaks down with Elon Musk.</p>
1236. <p>In April 2022, Elon Musk <a class="link" href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1519036983137509376?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1237. >tweeted</a> [<a class="link" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20230717021350/https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1519036983137509376?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1238. >archived version</a>]:</p>
1239. <blockquote>
1240. <p>By “free speech”, I simply mean that which matches the law.<br>
1241. I am against censorship that goes far beyond the law.<br>
1242. If people want less free speech, they will ask government to pass laws to that effect.<br>
1243. Therefore, going beyond the law is contrary to the will of the people.</p>
1244. </blockquote>
1245. <p>This is a particularly contentious issue that reflects multiple times across this very post, so I will not dwell into it for now, but it is important to remember that on October 2023, <a class="link" href="https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/IP_23_4953" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1246. >the EU Commission sent a request for information</a> [<a class="link" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240107031622/https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/IP_23_4953" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1247. >archived version</a>] to Twitter over illegal content including hate speech and terrorist content.</p>
1248. <p>But Elon Musk doesn’t seem particularly rational or trustworthy as he has a spotty record of firing people who are critical of him from <a class="link" href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2024/jan/03/spacex-employees-fired-elon-musk-labor-board" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1249. >SpaceX</a> [<a class="link" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240106095635/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2024/jan/03/spacex-employees-fired-elon-musk-labor-board" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1250. >archived version</a>] and <a class="link" href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/dec/06/elon-musk-fires-twitter-executive-security-concerns" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1251. >Twitter</a> [<a class="link" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240104223037/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/dec/06/elon-musk-fires-twitter-executive-security-concerns" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1252. >archived version</a>]</p>
1253. <p>Or cancelling the Twitter accounts of <a class="link" href="https://www.npr.org/2022/12/16/1143330589/twitter-owner-elon-musk-suspends-the-accounts-of-several-high-profile-journalist" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1254. >several journalists</a> [<a class="link" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20230311095448/https://www.npr.org/2022/12/16/1143330589/twitter-owner-elon-musk-suspends-the-accounts-of-several-high-profile-journalist" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1255. >archived version</a>], and the <a class="link" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ElonJet" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1256. >Elonjet</a> account they were reporting on, despite him <a class="link" href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1589414958508691456" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1257. >publicly stating otherwise</a> [<a class="link" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20221107003700/https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1589414958508691456/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1258. >archived version</a>], and <a class="link" href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/sep/05/elon-musk-sue-adl-x-twitter" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1259. >suing the Anti-Defamation League</a> [<a class="link" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20231226070633/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/sep/05/elon-musk-sue-adl-x-twitter" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1260. >archived version</a>].</p>
1261. <p>Margaret Sullivan <a class="link" href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/sep/07/elon-musks-hypocrisy-about-free-speech-hits-a-new-low" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1262. >writes on The Guardian</a> [<a class="link" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240107005026/https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/sep/07/elon-musks-hypocrisy-about-free-speech-hits-a-new-low" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1263. >archived version</a>]:</p>
1264. <blockquote>
1265. <p>In targeting the ADL, he’s proven himself not a free-speech absolutist but an absolute bully.</p>
1266. </blockquote>
1267. <h3 id="donald-trump-and-the-united-states">Donald Trump and the United States</h3>
1268. <p>Then we have another controversial figure: Donald Trump.</p>
1269. <p>Trump has made statements criticising what he believes to be censorship, on <a class="link" href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/may/04/trump-facebook-far-right-bans-support-twitter" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1270. >The Guardian</a> [<a class="link" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20231220125228/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/may/04/trump-facebook-far-right-bans-support-twitter" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1271. >archived link</a>]:</p>
1272. <blockquote>
1273. <p>[…] Trump tweeted harsh criticism of mainstream news organizations such as the Washington Post and New York Times, while lashing out against social media platforms for banning the editors of a prominent American conspiracy theory website, Infowars.</p>
1274. </blockquote>
1275. <p>He is also responsible for creating Truth Social after he was banned from Twitter, <a class="link" href="https://help.truthsocial.com/moderation/moderation-faq/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1276. >which states</a> [<a class="link" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20230314003500/http://help.truthsocial.com/moderation/moderation-faq/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1277. >archived version</a>]:</p>
1278. <blockquote>
1279. <p>TRUTH Social seeks to create a free speech haven in the social media sphere and encourages your unencumbered free expression.</p>
1280. </blockquote>
1281. <blockquote>
1282. <p>We cherish free expression. TRUTH Social must prevent illegal and other prohibited content from contaminating our platform.</p>
1283. </blockquote>
1284. <p>It is tragic that a prominent political figure such as the President of the most powerful economy in the world would make such outrageous statements such as “<a class="link" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-suggests-injection-disinfectant-beat-coronavirus-clean-lungs-n1191216" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1285. >injecting disinfectant</a>” [<a class="link" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20231207050303/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-suggests-injection-disinfectant-beat-coronavirus-clean-lungs-n1191216" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1286. >archived version</a>], <a class="link" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-video-statement-capitol-rioters-we-love-you-very-special-2021-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1287. >calling the Capitol rioters “very special” and saying he “loves them”</a> [<a class="link" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20231022072618/https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-video-statement-capitol-rioters-we-love-you-very-special-2021-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1288. >archived version</a>], <a class="link" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attempts_to_overturn_the_2020_United_States_presidential_election" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1289. >publicly calling the United States Presidential Election fraudulent without any proof, and against all experts and witnesses</a>, or claiming that immigrants are <a class="link" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/trump-says-immigrants-are-poisoning-blood-country-biden-campaign-liken-rcna130141" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1290. >“poisoning the blood of our country” in a way that echoes Hitler’s speeches against Jewish people</a> [<a class="link" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240107133244/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/trump-says-immigrants-are-poisoning-blood-country-biden-campaign-liken-rcna130141" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1291. >archived version</a>].</p>
1292. <p>Trump is also known to block users on Twitter, which according to <a class="link" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knight_First_Amendment_Institute_v._Trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1293. >Knight First Amendment Institute v. Trump</a> is a violation of the First Amendment given that Trump was a government official at the time, and the lawsuit argues:</p>
1294. <blockquote>
1295. <p>[…] they and other followers of the @realDonaldTrump Twitter account “are now deprived of their right to read the speech of the dissenters who have been blocked”.</p>
1296. </blockquote>
1297. <p>Prominent free speech figures, like Durov, Musk, and Trump, are either liars and/or actively harmful to society.</p>
1298. <h2 id="truth-is-asymmetrical">Truth is asymmetrical</h2>
1299. <p>The cost of producing disinformation is practically free, while the cost of combatting and debunking such dis- or misinformation can be high. This is called <a class="link" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brandolini%27s_law" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1300. >Brandolini’s Law</a>, which was first introduced in 2013 by Alberto Brandolini.</p>
1301. <p>It is further aided by the <a class="link" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gish_gallop" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1302. >Gish gallop</a> technique, which is the name of a rhetorical device consisting in overwhelming the opponent by providing arguments regardless of their quality or accuracy.</p>
1303. <p>There are other situations that evidence the dangers of completely unregulated free speech, like <a class="link" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filibuster" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1304. >filibuster</a>, <a class="link" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_balance" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1305. >false balance</a>, <a class="link" href="https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Just_asking_questions" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1306. >“just asking questions”</a>, or <a class="link" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sealioning" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1307. >sealioning</a>, to name a few.</p>
1308. <p>There is evidence that even <a class="link" href="https://www.niemanlab.org/2024/01/asking-people-to-do-the-research-on-fake-news-stories-makes-them-seem-more-believable-not-less/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1309. >attempting to do some research online about a certain topic can send people deeper into the rabbit hole of disinformation</a> [<a class="link" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240108212107/https://www.niemanlab.org/2024/01/asking-people-to-do-the-research-on-fake-news-stories-makes-them-seem-more-believable-not-less/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1310. >archived version</a>], and somehow, make false stories more believable.</p>
1311. <p>A notable example:</p>
1312. <blockquote>
1313. <p>The term ‘engineered famine’ in the article is a unique term that is unlikely to be used by reliable sources. An analysis of respondents’ search results found that adding the word ‘engineered’ in front of ‘famine’ changes the search results returned. 0% of search terms that contained the word ‘famine’ without ‘engineered’ in front of it returned unreliable results, whereas 63% of search queries that added ‘engineered’ in front of the word ‘famine’ were exposed to at least one unreliable result. In fact, 83% of all search terms that returned an unreliable result contained the term ‘engineered famine.’</p>
1314. </blockquote>
1315. <p>When defending freedom of speech, it is important to consider all the above situations, and whether the supposed advantages of free speech can be outweighed by the damage these concepts can cause in an otherwise healthy debate.</p>
1316. <h2 id="is-this-a-net-positive">Is this a net positive?</h2>
1317. <p>While the biggest proponents of free speech tend to be libertarian or libertarian-adjacent, and often come from an anti-fascist and anti-communist stance, the reality is that freedom of speech is often used and abused by the extreme right to disseminate absurd, hateful conspiracies. I too, once upon a time, believed that words only have the power you give them.</p>
1318. <p>In truth, the attempted Capitol coup d’état opened my eyes to the absurdity of totally unfiltered speech with no accountability. I think it’s fairly uncontroversial to say that every person simply wants a better world, a better country, a better society, and a better neighbourhood. Regardless of left- or right-wing policies, everyone wants things to improve. The real question is: improve <em>what</em> specifically? And what steps should be taken to realise those particular improvements?</p>
1319. <p>A generous interpretation for a concept such as “freedom of speech” is that it allows anyone to choose and learn freely, much like the free market allows consumers to choose the best way to spend their money, and “vote with their wallet”—although this interpretation has massive flaws.</p>
1320. <p>For example, the most powerful media corporations have a much easier time pushing their ideas onto the general public, because they have a practically unlimited marketing and lobbying budget. For obvious reasons, this situation doesn’t happen with individuals.</p>
1321. <p>Curiously, a similar flaw exists in the idea of free markets: powerful corporations are able to wage price wars to destroy the competition by making things at such a price point that smaller manufacturers with less economies of scale cannot compete with, go bankrupt, at which moment the corporations can jack up prices due to the lack of competition.</p>
1322. <h2 id="human-nature-there-i-said-it">Human nature… There, I said it</h2>
1323. <p>The <a class="link" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illusory_truth_effect" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1324. >illusory truth effect</a> describes how people are inclined to believe false information after repeated exposure. A lie repeated a thousand times is still a lie, but prominent political figures take advantage of this unfortunate cognitive bias to sway public opinion and reinforce their narratives.</p>
1325. <p>Precisely, this illusory truth effect Wikipedia article links to another article regarding Trump’s repeated use of false or misleading statements for his own political gain, both while in office, as well as after he was defeated in the Presidential Election of 2020.</p>
1326. <p><img src="https://ulveon.net/p/2024-01-10-free-speech-is-not-a-noble-goal-to-pursue/donald_trump_false.jpg"
1327. width="1000"
1328. height="1139"
1329. srcset="https://ulveon.net/p/2024-01-10-free-speech-is-not-a-noble-goal-to-pursue/donald_trump_false_hu4586902256233102550.jpg 480w, https://ulveon.net/p/2024-01-10-free-speech-is-not-a-noble-goal-to-pursue/donald_trump_false_hu4877417494676237801.jpg 1024w"
1330. loading="lazy"
1331. class="gallery-image"
1332. data-flex-grow="87"
1333. data-flex-basis="210px"
1334. ></p>
1335. <p>We can see Brandolini’s Law and Gish gallop both in action, as explained previously.</p>
1336. <p>Of course, it’s human nature to want to express one’s ideas. While there are limits in place to prevent criminal behaviour, these laws greatly vary from country to country and it’s not straightforward to draw a logically sound conclusion of what’s acceptable and what isn’t. Different societies will also have varying degrees of acceptance towards their own governments, as well as foreign governments.</p>
1337. <h2 id="on-authoritarianism">On authoritarianism</h2>
1338. <p>Free speech is an effective tool to combat and resist authoritarian governments. Authoritarian governments will, by definition, be rigid and strict in terms of organising society, and often resort to mass execution and State-sponsored terror campaigns, which help them carry out their objectives even at the expense of society. In such a scenario, exposing government corruption and the ruthlessness of their grip on power can help people realise and fight government oppression.</p>
1339. <h2 id="my-opinion">My opinion</h2>
1340. <p>I’m conflicted. I disapprove of tyrannical, oppressive governments that engage in ideological purges, mass execution and terror campaigns. But I am also appalled at the events during the Capitol assault.</p>
1341. <p>It would be easy to say “free speech for me but not for thee”—which is what prominent free speech proponents do when faced with their political opposition—but it is also naïve and doesn’t resolve the “freedom of speech” question.</p>
1342. <p>Unlike many proponents of freedom of speech, I believe certain statements are unequivocally true or false. They can be true or false regardless of whether we know if they are. And there is a different class of arguments that may be subjective, or subject to historical and environmental interpretations.</p>
1343. <p>For example, the statements below are unequivocally false:</p>
1344. <ul>
1345. <li>The 2020 US Presidential Election was stolen</li>
1346. <li>Bill Gates put microchips in the COVID-19 vaccine</li>
1347. <li>Birds are not real; they are government drones</li>
1348. </ul>
1349. <p>Some false arguments are more harmful than others. And some statements can imply the wrong conclusions. For example, if I state that “Over 99% of people who died have been found to have drunk dihydrogen monoxide within the last 6 hours” you may conclude that this is a dangerous chemical, except that’s the chemical formulation name of water: H₂O. Of course, strictly speaking, the statement is true and easy to verify. For example, we can look at the people who died in a country like Germany or England and see that the vast majority didn’t die of dehydration, and instead had ingested water in the past hours.</p>
1350. <p>Unfortunately, I cannot conclude anything other than the need for speech to be regulated and for limits to be imposed. If you are the President of the United States and you build an entire political agenda on the simple idea that the election was fraudulent, fail to produce logically sound evidence, and continue with such rhetoric even after independent investigators cannot find evidence of election manipulation, then there have to be serious consequences. I can also make a strong case for terrorist campaigns seeking to destabilise nations based on religious or political ideas.</p>
1351. &lt;p>I think we as a society would be better off if we stopped talking about freedom of speech in absolute terms and instead focused our attention on the positive aspects, like free access to information and knowledge and the ability to explore culture and societies in a free manner, instead of occupying our discussions with how many and what kind of insults I am allowed to fling at the opponent.&lt;/p></description></item><item><title>Federated social systems: On IRC, XMPP, and Matrix</title><link>https://ulveon.net/p/2024-01-06-federated-social-systems-on-irc-xmpp-and-matrix/</link><pubDate>Sat, 06 Jan 2024 20:34:09 +0100</pubDate><guid>https://ulveon.net/p/2024-01-06-federated-social-systems-on-irc-xmpp-and-matrix/</guid><description>&lt;p>One of the most important features of decentralised social networks based on open standards is that they are much easier to own and control, while also being highly intercompatible between software versions, clients, and maintainers.&lt;/p>
1352. <p>These features make them desirable especially to people who enjoy free software, and therefore decentralised protocols are essentially the norm in circles of experienced open source programmers and users, Linux user groups, and generally people who appreciate free software.</p>
1353. <h2 id="first-there-was-irc">First there was IRC</h2>
1354. <p>IRC (Internet Relay Chat) was the pioneering chat protocol on the Internet. It offered a basic form of communication, limited to text and simple features like chat rooms, chat room privileges (including admins, moderators, etc.), private messaging, and basic file sending and receiving through DCC (Direct Client-to-Client). Documented in <a class="link" href="https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc1459" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1355. >RFC 1459</a>, and although strictly not a standard, the IRC protocol has remained largely unchanged since its inception. While some client programs offer additional features like previewing images sent as links, extending IRC is challenging. Any modification to the core protocol risks breaking compatibility with older clients, limiting its adaptability.</p>
1356. <h2 id="then-xmpp-came-along">Then XMPP came along</h2>
1357. <p>Enter <a class="link" href="https://xmpp.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1358. >XMPP</a>. As an avid user, I witnessed its evolution. XMPP, also an open standard, enhances IRC in several key aspects, primarily through extensions known as <a class="link" href="https://xmpp.org/extensions/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1359. >XEPs</a> (XMPP Enhancement Proposals).</p>
1360. <h3 id="xmpp-extensibility">XMPP extensibility</h3>
1361. <p>Many basic features like <a class="link" href="https://xmpp.org/extensions/xep-0172.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1362. >user-specified nicknames</a>, or <a class="link" href="https://xmpp.org/extensions/xep-0084.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1363. >user-specified profile pictures</a> are implemented as XEPs, which work similarly to <a class="link" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Request_for_Comments" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1364. >RFCs</a>, being technical documents that describe proposed implementations for specific features or functionalities.</p>
1365. <p>However, it’s important to understand that XEPs are, as the name suggests, proposals. This means they’re subject to change and may not be universally implemented.</p>
1366. <p>XMPP has a set of core features that are part of its basic protocol, not requiring any additional XEPs. These basic features include:</p>
1367. <ol>
1368. <li><strong>JID (Jabber ID) Identifiers</strong>: XMPP uses a unique identifier format known as Jabber ID or JID, which follows the format <code>user@domain.tld</code>. This format is similar to email addresses and allows for easy identification and addressing of users on different servers.</li>
1369. <li><strong>User-to-User Private Messaging</strong>: XMPP supports direct, one-on-one messaging between users. This feature allows users to send and receive messages in real-time. Crucially, offline message handling is described in a separate XEP: <a class="link" href="https://xmpp.org/extensions/xep-0160.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1370. >https://xmpp.org/extensions/xep-0160.html</a>, even though it is a basic feature in any modern messaging application.</li>
1371. <li><strong>Presence Information</strong>: Users can broadcast their availability status, such as online, away, or do not disturb, along with custom status messages. This lets others know their current availability for communication.</li>
1372. <li><strong>Contact Lists (Roster Management)</strong>: XMPP allows users to maintain a list of contacts, known as a roster. Users can add, remove, or organize contacts, and view the presence status of these contacts.</li>
1373. <li><strong>Basic “Chatroom” MUCs (Multi-User Chat)</strong>: XMPP supports multi-user chat rooms, allowing multiple users to join and communicate in a single chatroom. However, more advanced features of multi-user chats like persistent rooms and room administration are defined in XEPs.</li>
1374. <li><strong>Server-to-Server Communication</strong>: XMPP servers can communicate with each other, allowing users on different servers to interact seamlessly. This is a fundamental feature for the decentralized nature of XMPP.</li>
1375. <li><strong>Resource Binding</strong>: XMPP allows a user to be connected from multiple devices or locations simultaneously, with each device/location being identified as a different resource. For example, a user might be connected from both a phone and a laptop, with each device having its own resource identifier.</li>
1376. <li><strong>Basic Delivery Requests</strong>: XMPP can notify the sender when a message has been delivered to the recipient’s client. This is a basic acknowledgment that the message reached the client, not necessarily that it was seen by the user.</li>
1377. <li><strong>Privacy Lists</strong>: Basic privacy controls are available, allowing users to block communications from specific other users or to manage who can see their presence information.</li>
1378. <li><strong>XML Stanzas for Messaging</strong>: The protocol uses XML stanzas (structured data formats) for sending and receiving messages, presence information, and IQ (Info/Query) stanzas for control-type requests and responses.</li>
1379. </ol>
1380. <p>For almost any sort of functionality beyond the above, implementation of XEPs is required. At the time of writing, almost 500 documents are available. Some are retracted, rejected, deprecated, or obsolete.</p>
1381. <p>A critical feature in modern communication is end-to-end encryption, as exemplified by <a class="link" href="https://xmpp.org/extensions/xep-0384.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1382. >XEP-0384: OMEMO Encryption</a>. This is, at the time of writing, the only end-to-end encryption XEP, but in an experimental phase, which means it is not mandatory to implement. There are two other options for message encryption that a multitude of clients like Pidgin and Gajim have implemented, such as PGP and OTR encryption, however, these two encryption mechanisms are not defined as XEPs at all, and thus cannot be considered part of the XMPP specification.</p>
1383. <p>Another taken-for-granted feature in contemporary messaging solutions is the ability to send files to multiple recipients, including when some are offline. This is outlined in <a class="link" href="https://xmpp.org/extensions/xep-0363.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1384. >XEP-0363: HTTP File Upload</a>. Fortunately, this time, XEP-0363 is considered stable. In addition to HTTP file transfer, there exist two more file transfer mechanisms. Jingle, as defined by <a class="link" href="https://xmpp.org/extensions/xep-0166.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1385. >XEP-0166</a>, <a class="link" href="https://xmpp.org/extensions/xep-0234.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1386. >XEP-0234</a>, <a class="link" href="https://xmpp.org/extensions/xep-0260.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1387. >XEP-0260</a>, and <a class="link" href="https://xmpp.org/extensions/xep-0261.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1388. >XEP-0261</a> (yes, a total of four XEPs for implementing Jingle file transfer), which is optional, and Stream Initiation as defined by <a class="link" href="https://xmpp.org/extensions/xep-0096.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1389. >XEP-0096</a> which predates Jingle, and is now deprecated.</p>
1390. <p><a class="link" href="https://xmpp.org/extensions/xep-0459.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1391. >XEP-0459: XMPP Compliance Suites 2022</a> defines the set of XEPs any server or client must implement in order to be considered “Core” or “Advanced”. Notably, XEP-0384 is not yet a requirement, but this may change. However, considering that Signal, a widely popular end-to-end encrypted chat application, was released in 2010, it’s significant that XMPP has yet to mandate end-to-end encryption, even 12 years later. This delay highlights a critical area where XMPP lags behind contemporary security standards in messaging applications.</p>
1392. <p>Another basic feature is <a class="link" href="https://xmpp.org/extensions/xep-0357.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1393. >XEP-0357: Push Notifications</a>. This XEP describes the implementation of notifications, crucial for ensuring timely message delivery in mobile environments. The process involves a flow between the XMPP client, server, app client and app server, and the push service, as illustrated in this helpful diagram:</p>
1394. <div class="highlight"><div class="chroma">
1395. <table class="lntable"><tr><td class="lntd">
1396. <pre tabindex="0" class="chroma"><code><span class="lnt"> 1
1397. </span><span class="lnt"> 2
1398. </span><span class="lnt"> 3
1399. </span><span class="lnt"> 4
1400. </span><span class="lnt"> 5
1401. </span><span class="lnt"> 6
1402. </span><span class="lnt"> 7
1403. </span><span class="lnt"> 8
1404. </span><span class="lnt"> 9
1405. </span><span class="lnt">10
1406. </span><span class="lnt">11
1407. </span><span class="lnt">12
1408. </span><span class="lnt">13
1409. </span><span class="lnt">14
1410. </span><span class="lnt">15
1411. </span><span class="lnt">16
1412. </span><span class="lnt">17
1413. </span><span class="lnt">18
1414. </span><span class="lnt">19
1415. </span></code></pre></td>
1416. <td class="lntd">
1417. <pre tabindex="0" class="chroma"><code class="language-fallback" data-lang="fallback"><span class="line"><span class="cl">+-------------+ +-------------+
1418. </span></span><span class="line"><span class="cl">| | | |
1419. </span></span><span class="line"><span class="cl">| XMPP Client | | XMPP Server +--------+
1420. </span></span><span class="line"><span class="cl">| | | | |
1421. </span></span><span class="line"><span class="cl">+-----^-------+ +-------------+ |
1422. </span></span><span class="line"><span class="cl"> . |
1423. </span></span><span class="line"><span class="cl"> . |
1424. </span></span><span class="line"><span class="cl">+-----+------+ +------------+---------v---------+
1425. </span></span><span class="line"><span class="cl">| | | | |
1426. </span></span><span class="line"><span class="cl">| App Client | | App Server < XMPP Push Service |
1427. </span></span><span class="line"><span class="cl">| | | | |
1428. </span></span><span class="line"><span class="cl">+-----^------+ +------+-----+-------------------+
1429. </span></span><span class="line"><span class="cl"> | |
1430. </span></span><span class="line"><span class="cl"> | |
1431. </span></span><span class="line"><span class="cl">+-----+------+ +------v--------+
1432. </span></span><span class="line"><span class="cl">| | | |
1433. </span></span><span class="line"><span class="cl">| User Agent <----------+ Push Service |
1434. </span></span><span class="line"><span class="cl">| | | |
1435. </span></span><span class="line"><span class="cl">+------------+ +---------------+
1436. </span></span></code></pre></td></tr></table>
1437. </div>
1438. </div><p>However, XEP-0357 is currently in a “deferred” status, which presents a significant challenge. In an era where smartphones often have intermittent network connectivity and limited battery life, the absence of stable push notifications means users cannot receive real-time alerts unless their XMPP client is actively running. Continuously running the client, however, leads to rapid battery drain, and most modern mobile operating systems will automatically terminate apps after a period of inactivity.</p>
1439. <p>Several commendable efforts have been taking place to make XMPP suitable for today’s world, like <a class="link" href="https://docs.modernxmpp.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1440. >Modern XMPP</a>, and the Compliance Suites XEPs released since <a class="link" href="https://xmpp.org/extensions/xep-0412.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1441. >2019</a>. Some clients like <a class="link" href="https://conversations.im/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1442. >Conversations</a>, and servers like <a class="link" href="https://xmpp.org/software/prosody-im/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1443. >Prosody</a> show the XEPs they implement, so that you can check for yourself what features are available. Nevertheless, for functionalities like push notifications in XEP-0357, support is required from both the server and client. This particular feature is not yet implemented in Prosody. Additionally, the uncertainty about the software and its version used by XMPP server providers means users cannot be certain about the availability of specific features.</p>
1444. <p>A significant challenge remains: proprietary closed-source chat applications are innovating at a pace far beyond what XMPP and other open-source efforts can match. This rapid development in features and user experience often leaves XMPP lagging in comparison. On the other hand, XMPP has found success in unexpected domains. Notably, <a class="link" href="https://xmpp.org/uses/gaming/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1445. >famous videogames like League of Legends, Fortnite, or the Nintendo Switch console use XMPP</a>. This adoption is a testament to XMPP’s flexibility as a free and open-source protocol. Its ability to be tailored for specific needs showcases the protocol’s inherent power and versatility. But it is not enough for personal messaging.</p>
1446. <h2 id="matrix-will-save-us">Matrix will save us</h2>
1447. <p><a class="link" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matrix_%28protocol%29" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1448. >Matrix</a>, a messaging standard introduced in 2014, brings a solution to many of XMPP’s shortcomings, such as the overwhelming number of XEPs. A notable feature of Matrix is its default end-to-end encryption for private chats, addressing a key concern in modern digital communication. However, Matrix’s journey hasn’t been without challenges.</p>
1449. <h3 id="too-heavy">Too heavy</h3>
1450. <p>Synapse, the most prevalent Matrix server implementation, is known for its high demand on system resources. This requirement significantly limits accessibility for individuals and smaller organizations with constrained resources. In contrast, XMPP is more mature and boasts a range of extraordinarily lightweight server implementations. The protocol’s accessibility also simplifies the process of building a custom server, tailored with only the desired XEPs.</p>
1451. <h3 id="protocol-complexity">Protocol complexity</h3>
1452. <p>Unlike XMPP, which has hundreds of feature proposals, the Matrix protocol is more rigidly defined. This well-defined structure, paradoxically, adds to its complexity. The intricate nature of Matrix leads to a steeper learning curve for developers, potentially impacting the diversity of server software as fewer developers might be willing to engage with such a complex system.</p>
1453. <h3 id="ux-issues">UX issues</h3>
1454. <p>Matrix is designed for scalability, but this doesn’t come without its own set of user experience issues. Particularly in larger rooms with numerous participants, users have reported performance-related problems, including message delays and server load challenges. These issues underscore the need for ongoing optimization in the Matrix ecosystem.</p>
1455. <h3 id="federation-complexity">Federation complexity</h3>
1456. <p>While one of Matrix’s strengths is its federated architecture, setting up and maintaining federation can be complex and sometimes lead to issues where rooms or messages are not properly synced across different servers.</p>
1457. <h2 id="where-do-we-go-from-here">Where do we go from here?</h2>
1458. <p>I don’t know. You can probably tell I’m not exactly optimistic about the state of open source, federated instant messaging.</p>
1459. <p>One could make the argument that these technologies don’t need mass adoption in order to be successful. You can say they already are successful simply because they exist. And while it is true these technologies have contributed massively to the Internet and society in general, the way I see it is that these improvements and contributions have merely served to improve the software of massive corporations who have a strong incentive to keep their platforms closed and exclusive to their users only.</p>
1460. <p>Therefore, it doesn’t seem very helpful that in order to enjoy the benefits of these systems, I am more or less forced to use proprietary walled garden implementations, because it is not possible to, for example, talk to WhatsApp users from Signal or XMPP, even though WhatsApp is built on top of XMPP.</p>
1461. <p>This situation presents a paradoxical landscape in the world of instant messaging. The ideals of open-source, federated systems – transparency, user control, privacy, and interoperability – stand in stark contrast to the closed, proprietary ecosystems that dominate the market. This divide poses significant challenges, not only in terms of user convenience but also in shaping the future direction of communication technologies.</p>
1462. <p>The harsh truth is that closed-source systems typically benefit from greater funding and a singular, market-driven objective: to dominate their sector, extract value from users, and convert this into profits for stakeholders. As these proprietary platforms grow, they attract more investors, who pour in funds that enable the hiring of more dedicated engineers. This influx of talent often leads to the development of advanced features, drawing users from simpler applications. This cycle perpetuates, continually reinforcing these platforms’ market dominance.</p>
1463. <p>Yet, there is a silver lining. The very existence and ongoing development of open-source protocols like XMPP and Matrix demonstrate a persistent commitment to these ideals. They embody a resistance to the trend of centralized control over communication platforms, offering an alternative path that prioritizes user freedom and open standards.</p>
1464. &lt;p>In the end, the future of instant messaging – open-source or otherwise – will likely be shaped by a complex interplay of technological innovation, market forces, and social groups and their preferences.&lt;/p></description></item><item><title>Hello World</title><link>https://ulveon.net/p/2024-01-06-hello-world/</link><pubDate>Sat, 06 Jan 2024 00:07:22 +0100</pubDate><guid>https://ulveon.net/p/2024-01-06-hello-world/</guid><description>&lt;img src="https://ulveon.net/p/2024-01-06-hello-world/banner.jpg" alt="Featured image of post Hello World" />&lt;p>After many years of hesitation, I have decided to start my own blog.&lt;/p>
1465. <p>In this blog, I will explore and elaborate on my thoughts. How my political and philosophical views have changed over time, and how I believe we can build a better world.</p>
1466. <p>A key aspect of my identity is my commitment to challenging and expanding my worldview. Throughout various phases of this journey, I’ve gained significant insights. It’s these learnings that I’m excited to share with you through my blog.</p>
1467. &lt;p>For engaging in deeper discussions, please visit the Links section to join our Telegram discussion group. Additionally, feel free to reach out to me directly using the social media buttons located on the left side of this page.&lt;/p></description></item><item><title>Archives</title><link>https://ulveon.net/archives/</link><pubDate>Sun, 06 Mar 2022 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate><guid>https://ulveon.net/archives/</guid><description/></item><item><title>About me</title><link>https://ulveon.net/about-me/</link><pubDate>Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate><guid>https://ulveon.net/about-me/</guid><description>&lt;p>Hello! I am Ulveon. I am an eeveelution of dragon type!&lt;/p>
1468. <h2 id="how-to-reach-me">How to reach me</h2>
1469. <p>Social:</p>
1470. <ul>
1471. <li><a class="link" href="https://bsky.app/profile/ulveon.net" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1472. >Bluesky</a> ~> <code>@ulveon.net</code></li>
1473. </ul>
1474. <p>Other accounts:</p>
1475. <ul>
1476. <li><a class="link" href="https://gitlab.com/AlgorithmWolf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1477. >GitLab</a></li>
1478. </ul>
1479. <h2 id="decommissioned-accounts">Decommissioned accounts</h2>
1480. <p>The following social networks and services have been decommissioned and are no longer in use. Any account listed below with the “Ulveon” or “Ulven” name can be considered an impersonator and/or is completely unrelated to me:</p>
1481. <ul>
1482. <li>Telegram</li>
1483. <li>Signal</li>
1484. <li>Session Messenger</li>
1485. <li>Discord</li>
1486. <li>The following Fediverse servers:
1487. <ul>
1488. <li>derg.social</li>
1489. <li>blob.cat</li>
1490. <li>c.im</li>
1491. <li>toot.io</li>
1492. <li>ioc.exchange</li>
1493. </ul>
1494. </li>
1495. <li>GitHub</li>
1496. </ul>
1497. <h2 id="cryptography">Cryptography</h2>
1498. <p>I use <a class="link" href="https://github.com/FiloSottile/age" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1499. >age</a> and <a class="link" href="https://jedisct1.github.io/minisign/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1500. >minisign</a>.</p>
1501. <h3 id="encrypt">Encrypt</h3>
1502. <p>If you want to send me an encrypted file, use my <code>age</code> public key:</p>
1503. <div class="highlight"><div class="chroma">
1504. <table class="lntable"><tr><td class="lntd">
1505. <pre tabindex="0" class="chroma"><code><span class="lnt">1
1506. </span></code></pre></td>
1507. <td class="lntd">
1508. <pre tabindex="0" class="chroma"><code class="language-fallback" data-lang="fallback"><span class="line"><span class="cl">age1gysjgmt0p6hvjpj0u97ylkjd78zf28cagk4t2txwd5hf92t3dgaqg2g22k
1509. </span></span></code></pre></td></tr></table>
1510. </div>
1511. </div><h4 id="how-to-encrypt-a-file-for-me">How to encrypt a file for me</h4>
1512. <p>If your file is, for example, <code>text.txt</code>, run:</p>
1513. <div class="highlight"><div class="chroma">
1514. <table class="lntable"><tr><td class="lntd">
1515. <pre tabindex="0" class="chroma"><code><span class="lnt">1
1516. </span></code></pre></td>
1517. <td class="lntd">
1518. <pre tabindex="0" class="chroma"><code class="language-fallback" data-lang="fallback"><span class="line"><span class="cl">age -e -r age1gysjgmt0p6hvjpj0u97ylkjd78zf28cagk4t2txwd5hf92t3dgaqg2g22k -o text.txt.encrypted < text.txt
1519. </span></span></code></pre></td></tr></table>
1520. </div>
1521. </div><p>Send me the <code>text.txt.encrypted</code> one.</p>
1522. <h3 id="verify">Verify</h3>
1523. <p>If you want to verify me, you can check my <code>minisign</code> signature. My <code>minisign</code> public key:</p>
1524. <div class="highlight"><div class="chroma">
1525. <table class="lntable"><tr><td class="lntd">
1526. <pre tabindex="0" class="chroma"><code><span class="lnt">1
1527. </span></code></pre></td>
1528. <td class="lntd">
1529. <pre tabindex="0" class="chroma"><code class="language-fallback" data-lang="fallback"><span class="line"><span class="cl">RWSirVd4246SxcVyhof7x4qVBZcW2oUbfUlXSz9y6pz6h+8WGNW6xBgx
1530. </span></span></code></pre></td></tr></table>
1531. </div>
1532. </div><p><a class="link" href="ulveon.pub" >Download my public minisign key</a> [<a class="link" href="https://p4d0.c1.e2-10.dev/ulveon-public/static/ulveon.pub" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1533. >mirror</a>]</p>
1534. <p>This page <a class="link" href="https://gitlab.com/AlgorithmWolf/ulveon-thoughts/-/blob/main/ulveon-thoughts/content/page/about-me/index.md" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1535. >index.md</a> is signed with my <code>minisign</code> key.</p>
1536. <h4 id="how-to-verify-this-page">How to verify this page</h4>
1537. <ol>
1538. <li>Download (right-click ~> save as…) <a class="link" href="index.md.minisig" >index.md.minisig</a></li>
1539. <li>Download <a class="link" href="https://gitlab.com/AlgorithmWolf/ulveon-thoughts/-/raw/main/ulveon-thoughts/content/page/about-me/index.md?inline=false" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1540. >index.md</a></li>
1541. <li>Download <a class="link" href="ulveon.pub" >ulveon.pub</a></li>
1542. <li>Run <code>minisign -V -m index.md -p ulveon.pub</code></li>
1543. </ol>
1544. <p>You should get something like this:</p>
1545. <div class="highlight"><div class="chroma">
1546. <table class="lntable"><tr><td class="lntd">
1547. <pre tabindex="0" class="chroma"><code><span class="lnt">1
1548. </span><span class="lnt">2
1549. </span></code></pre></td>
1550. <td class="lntd">
1551. <pre tabindex="0" class="chroma"><code class="language-fallback" data-lang="fallback"><span class="line"><span class="cl">Signature and comment signature verified
1552. </span></span><span class="line"><span class="cl">Trusted comment: timestamp:xxx file:index.md hashed
1553. </span></span></code></pre></td></tr></table>
1554. </div>
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1556. <script async src="https://plausible.io/js/embed.host.js"></script>
1557. <p><noscript>If you would like to see the analytics dashboard, please enable JavaScript.</noscript></p>
1558. <p>If you don’t see a dashboard above this text, then you are blocking Plausible Analytics.</p>
1559. <p>Note: Plausible Analytics does not use cookies. Read more about <a class="link" href="https://plausible.io/data-policy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
1560. >their privacy policy</a>.</p>
1561. <p>I don’t have access to individual metrics like browser fingerprints, IP address or any other information. The information you see in this dashboard is all information I have access to.</p>
1562. &lt;p>If you would like to block tracking on this website, then you can add a rule that blocks &lt;code>https://plausible.io/js/script.js&lt;/code>.&lt;/p></description></item></channel></rss>

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