Discord defends itself against efforts to stop piracy on its platform by saying no to more invasive data collection. Even though Discord isn’t exactly known for privacy, this is a great move for its users. What are your thoughts?

  • Aatube
    link
    fedilink
    281 month ago

    How else would they store and sync the information?

      • Aatube
        link
        fedilink
        241 month ago

        They do have to retrieve old messages when new users join though. I’m sure the government can force them to lett them in a server and unlock the roles

        • @[email protected]
          link
          fedilink
          English
          51 month ago

          Why?

          Why is channel history needed for new users?

          Back in the IRC days you joined a channel that was just empty, if you wanted the history you had to run an IRC client continously, I remember running screen irssi on a separate computer and sshing into the server, reconnecting the screen with irssi in it.

          If you want the history automatically, you can’t expect privacy.

          • @[email protected]
            link
            fedilink
            English
            311 month ago

            90% of the reason I even have discord is because people much smarter than me use it to share information. Nobody uses other areas suited for sharing information anymore. It’s either Reddit or discord.

          • @JustARaccoon
            link
            English
            211 month ago

            Because a lot of people go to discord servers to access existing information?

            • @[email protected]
              link
              fedilink
              English
              71 month ago

              Far more than should tbh. Too many little game mods will have a Discord for questions and reporting issues rather than using their GitHub or a forum.

              • @JustARaccoon
                link
                English
                81 month ago

                Oh I agree, it’s very much a “forcing a round peg into a square hole” situation, but I doubt discord will make any changes to push back against it

                  • @JustARaccoon
                    link
                    English
                    11 month ago

                    Because now you’re using discord for more things? You’re giving them more data? What’s not to like

                • @[email protected]
                  link
                  fedilink
                  English
                  11 month ago

                  Oh I don’t think it’s a problem for Discord, but when it comes to software projects specifically I find the reliance on Discord frustrating because of its non-public orientation. If I’m having an issue I’d far rather search for a solution on a public wiki, bug report system, or forum than sign up for one more Discord server.

          • @GamingChairModel
            link
            English
            61 month ago

            At the same time, expecting privacy in a room where a bunch of strangers hang out is already unreasonable. If everyone already in the channel can log the chats, for example by idling in the channel, then adding E2E on top of that is probably a false sense of security.

          • @[email protected]
            link
            fedilink
            English
            51 month ago

            I remember running screen irssi on a separate computer and sshing into the server, reconnecting the screen with irssi in it.

            I still do that today.

          • @[email protected]
            link
            fedilink
            English
            31 month ago

            If you want the history automatically, you can’t expect privacy.

            That’s not true, you can pull the history from other users who happen to be online.

            • Aatube
              link
              fedilink
              21 month ago

              The feds can also pull such history when they join the server

              • @[email protected]
                link
                fedilink
                English
                11 month ago

                Sure, and the users of the channel could decide whether to share that history with new users or not. My point is that if you don’t have messages on the server, the service can’t help here, and it’s up to the users of the channel to set their own policies. If the data is stored on the server, the service could be legally obligated to provide that data.

          • @[email protected]
            link
            fedilink
            English
            21 month ago

            I have an issue with something I’m using and there is a discord server I will join it. I then search my issue and its usually been adressed in the past. Without history I would be forced to ask the question that has probably been answered many times in the past.

        • @[email protected]
          link
          fedilink
          English
          31 month ago

          Keep the data but encrypted. Let users send links that contain the pki info to decrypt the messages. Have that pki info generated client side.

          Discord would only need to shuffle data, provide authentication, and provide the web app data down to the client. But every bit of user shared and generated content would be encrypted to them.

          • Aatube
            link
            fedilink
            41 month ago

            Like I said, Discord can still be compelled to let feds join the server, thus receiving the PKIs.

            • @[email protected]
              link
              fedilink
              English
              21 month ago

              If the the pki is generated by users client side by a secret discord doesn’t control it wouldn’t be an issue.

              • Aatube
                link
                fedilink
                11 month ago

                Either you share the message history to new users (which includes feds) or you don’t have any history. I don’t understand what you mean

                • @[email protected]
                  link
                  fedilink
                  English
                  21 month ago

                  The server provides the data to authenticated users and helps facilitate pki between the clients.

                  If someone is added by the server to have access to the data but wasn’t given a key capable of decryption by an actual user they wouldn’t have actual access, just encrypted data.

    • @[email protected]
      link
      fedilink
      English
      81 month ago

      Sync from another online user. If each message is signed by the author, there’s a built-in protection against tampering.

      It’s really not hard, they just have to care enough to build it that way.

      • Aatube
        link
        fedilink
        11 month ago

        Can’t feds also sync them from other users?

        • @[email protected]
          link
          fedilink
          English
          51 month ago

          Sure, if they’re granted access to the channel. But that access would come from users of the channel, not the service itself, and if the service doesn’t store the keys (i.e. you need at least one user online to get access), the service can’t really help the feds.

          And whether to provide access to history for new users can absolutely be a setting on the channel. I’m just saying that having the messages only on the clients doesn’t preclude sharing those messages with a newcomer.