metanohi/site/writings/digitalfreedom.org

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Digital freedom

#&summary A discussion about digital freedom in general. #&

#&+classes=warning This is a work in progress (more so than my other articles). #&

Concepts

(Currently mostly about social networking.)

I like to follow this rule: When I create something substantial which I want to share, I host it myself. But why? Because I don't want to depend on something which I cannot control or strongly influence.

A decentralized social network must be widespread for people to be able to share private data with a select few, i.e. the select few must be used to using the decentralized network.

The difficulty of leaving a service is determined by the complexity of the social features of the service.

I only host my own works somewhere else than on my own host if I feel that I have a social obligation to do so, or if it's a link that points out of the service. I don't mind if what Facebook ends up being is the new digg.

The more difficult it is to leave a service, the more I feel I have a social obligation to host my works on the service. However, the more difficult it is to leave a service, the more I also feel that I have a moral obligation to not host my works on the service.

I don't wish to host substantial works, even public ones, on e.g. Facebook. Not because Facebook gets to know them (I have made sure I don't mind them being public), but because I use a service which I don't like, and that may fuel the use in general, especially for my friends. As such, it doesn't matter what I publish on the service, it will no matter what (in varying degrees) accelerate the use of the service, which I do not want to happen.

In general, it's a balance. I try not to make others depend on Facebook because of me; I do that by not uploading large photo galleries to Facebook. However, photo galleries on Facebook have quite complex features.