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A comment on WhatsApp gives users an ultimatum: Share data with Facebook or stop using app. Parent comment

Re:WhatsApp gives users an ultimatum: Share data with Facebo... by jamaicahest on Thursday January 07, 2021 @04:55AM (#25669236)
> The only network services this won't become true of at some point in the future are those with decentralized clients and servers obeying a common documented protocol.

You mean like SMS?

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:WhatsApp gives users an ultimatum: Share data with Facebo... by lrvick on Thursday January 07, 2021 @05:41AM (#25669529)
I didn't say all decentralized services are good. Just that decentralization is a prerequisite for something to avoid complete control by a single party long term.

A better example would be HTTP/HTML/JS. Sure it is not perfect and protocol updates are hard and slow due to endless implementations but we got a working decentralized internet out of the deal that is very hard for any single party to take over now, so I call that worth it over a single party enforcing proprietary protocols like AOL having a total monopoly.

[ Parent | on HN ]