

This is why we need Diaspora - ragsagar
http://sankarabharanam.tk/tech/why-diaspora

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antimagic
No, it really isn't. If you are using Facebook or Twitter with anything other
than an expectation that the information is public (in the sense that US law
enforcement can look in), then frankly you deserve everything you get. These
are networks that exist for the sole purpose of sharing data. They are
optimised for sharing, not for privacy, and this is how it should be. If you
don't like it, don't put sensitive information on social networks.

The really concerning news out of all of this is that services like Gmail,
Google Docs, Dropbox and other services that are more aimed at synchronising
data than with sharing it are being targeted by law enforcement. In these
cases we have a much more reasonable expectation of a certain level of freedom
from governmental scrutiny.

Even more concerning is the invasion into the privacy of point-to-point
communications, Skype, various chat programs etc. Obviously there are some
grey areas in this distinction - where does Facebook chat fall for example. My
personal feeling is to go back and look at the main purpose of the site in
question - when I am on Facebook I feel like things are public. When I'm
exchanging emails with a friend, it feels much more private. An email to a
group of friends on the other hand does not feel anywhere near as private as a
one on one exchange. Meh - these kinds of distinctions are precisely why we
have human beings known as "judges" in the legal system.

At any rate I for one would not feel any more secure and private when using a
Diaspora-style architecture than when I'm using Facebook. Why? because the
whole point of social networks is to share, not to hide. If you really want to
hide stuff, use encrypted point to point communications methods, preferably
buried in a near-constant traffic stream that ideally bounces off servers in
several different countries. You'll note that this level of security is many
many orders of magnitude more difficult, but that's normal - sharing and
security are diametrically opposed.

~~~
ragsagar
So you are saying that social networking sites like facebook and twitter are
only for public sharing? You never do private messaging with your friends in
these social networking sites? Do you want people to look at those private
messages?

~~~
antimagic
Exactly. The only reason that I use private messaging on Facebook is when I
don't want to spam my friends. I do _not_ use private messaging out of concern
for privacy.

