Post by @GerardThornley@hachyderm.io

2026-03-09 10:28 UTC

@ohir@social.vivaldi.net @stinerman@mastodon.social @malwaretech@infosec.exchange That said, I also don't want to live under mass surveillance (by govs _or_ corps) and think LEAs shouldn't be able to break anonymity frivolously. But for most people living in democratic systems, I think over-reach (which will always be a danger) needs to be addressed legally and politically, rather than technologically. There are obviously variations between countries and over time in how much freedom there is to pursue such remedies. Because of that, some people do have a greater need to protect their identity. I think it's okay for that not to be easy. I'd also suggest that most people complaining about proton are probably not members of this category.

Replies (1)

@ohir@social.vivaldi.net 2026-03-09 15:18

@GerardThornley@hachyderm.io @stinerman@mastodon.social @malwaretech@infosec.exchange > for most people living in democratic systems Not many democracies left, Switzerland internally is closest to, Scandinavian countries still stand close. Romania possibly too. But within EU I see no healthy democracy now, only façade ones. But still protective enough. In EU someone's socially unaccepted private endavours are protected by law. You can see your French neighbor being close to their cousin and this is protected. You can not as a journalist "be outraged at", as cousin-cousin relations, while not accepted by ~80% of respondents, are not forbidden hence are private matters of people – protected by law to not be named and shamed. Problem is, the EU law agencies are bad at enforcing this protection, esp. on US-owned platforms. LeMonde journalist can not name, yet any wacko at Xusk can call fork and torch mobs on the "immoral" cousins. Most people who seek "anonymity" belongs to this huge set. They in fact seek safety from the lynch, nothing more. The mass surveillance in EU is rampant, yet EU citizens do not feel it due to laws shielding privacy. This feeling may soon change with current push to fully identify population using internet services and mandatory screening for anti-ruling-class sentiments. The opposition to this shift needs protection ...[TBC]

Open ##3209754