Nostr Web Client

In a decentralised network, unlike a centralised service, it is possible to confirm that End-to-End Encryption (E2EE) is working.

Because if two servers aren't both implementing the E2EE protocol properly, it just won't work. The messages won't sent, or they won't be delivered, or they won't be decrypted, or whatever. The need to communicate between two servers keeps the operators of both honest.

So what about Vanishing Messages then?

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Strypey 2y ago

One problem with Vanishing Messages in decentralised networks is that you have to trust that the server(s) you're sending messages to will honour whatever requests you send them later about those messages. Including requests to delete them.

A server could send back a receipt claiming to have deleted the message, but how do you really know? Maybe it did delete the message from the chat, but kept a copy in the database? Or copied it to another database.

You just have to trust it.

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Discussion

Strypey 2y ago

In summary, if you trust the server, there's no need to worry about making your messages vanish. If you don't trust the server, there's no way to be sure that it doesn't keep your messages, except to not send them in the first place.

Vanishing Messages add pointless complications to decentralised networks, for no real privacy gain. We don't need them and they're a waste of developer time and resources, and network resources.

So that's why I say Vanishing Messages are Privacy Theatre.

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