The Story Of 2021: Big Tech Flexing Its Muscle

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While everyone focuses on the price of cryptocurrency going to the moon, an even bigger one is starting to play out on a large scale.

Remember way back when, oh maybe 6 months ago, when people on Hive talked about censorship resistance and nobody was paying attention? In other words, it fell on deaf ears.

At that time, the only ones who understood, i.e. felt the effects, were those nutty people in crypto, who believe in flat earth theories, or were against vaccinations.

Isn't it amazing how quickly things can change? Now we have tens of millions of people who understand what censorship really means. It is funny how people are all for it these days until it happens to them.

That said, Hive is doing its best to be a viable option but there is a challenge with this. To start, we do not have the tools as of yet to model what was taking place in the social media realm. Sure we have blogging which is great for those who like to write long posts on their sites. However, we know this does not encompass most of the Internet traffic.

Nevertheless, there still is the basic advantage that what is posted on the blockchain is locked in there. Thus, an account can't be deleted from the blockchain nor can the data (text) that is posted there.

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Yesterday, @dan made an appearance posting about the topic of censorship. This took place before the takedown of Parlor by Amazon Web Services. That application, for what it was worth, is now toast until (if) it finds another home to host it. This only fed into the point that he was making; we are still dealing with an extremely centralized structure.

The arrogance of Big Tech is only growing. Most see the hypocrisy that took place over the last half year. Many will remember Zuckerberg in front of Congress with his smirk. He knew he had nothing to fear.

Big Tech is even bigger than government. The sad part is they are about to get more powerful. Without realizing it, the banking system is about to be handed over to the likes of Microsoft, Facebook, and Amazon. These are going to be the ones hosting the financial system very soon. The banks are only now starting to realize how fried they really are.

Of course, the censorship topic applies also to financial. Once it is digitized, it is all the same: data. The problem is few realize that seriousness of what happened.

It doesn't matter whether one agrees with those who had their accounts closed or not. What is important is the fact that Big Tech showed it can happen to anyone it deems averse to its viewpoint. Yet, this is only the tip of the iceberg.

All the posts that were done on Twitter and Facebook are now gone. For some, that is a decade worth of work. However, that pales in comparison to this idea: what is that data was their actual money? How would these people be feeling today if $100K was in their wallet and their account simply was closed down? Suddenly that person is desolate.

Thus, we need to turn back to Hive and consider what steps we can take at every layer to make things more secure and resistant to outside attack. This is vital because if there is any degree of success in this endeavor, the major forces will come. Right now Hive is just a speck so it is not really an issue. If, however, some major players show up, the forces will quickly focuses upon Hive.

@ausitbank posted a comment in Dan's post that showed a simple step that was undertaken to add a level of censorship resistance.

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Here is the links from the comment for easy reference:

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https://ipfs.ausbit.dev/#/

Other have pointed to Unstoppable Domains as another solution to protect a website from being taken down. This technology actually uses a blockchain wallet with a name instead of the usual numbers and letters like on Ethereum. When coupled with decentralized storage, this turns it into a powerful weapon against censorship.

From their website:

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Of course all of this means little if the likes of Apple and Google keep wiping the apps from their stores. This interrupts the availability of the application to the majority of users since most access things using mobile. Hence, we have to create ways to get the download packets to people that can be spread very easily.

As we can see, there is still a lot of work to do. In the meantime, Big Tech will keep getting stronger while exhibiting their enormous power.

This shows how important what we are doing on Hive really is. Providing an alternative to the centralized system is crucial. Now, we must look for everyone opportunity to do that. Layer by layer has to be torn apart, providing a decentralized alternative.

At this point is looks like the Great Race is still on but the runners have changed a big. Governments still think they are in control yet this might be a case of the tail actually wagging the dog.

Ultimately, this will be the true story of 2021 regardless of what happens to the bull run. Many discuss the idea of creating a different world and it is before us. Tyranny is coming from all side and it is up to use to keep working against it.


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41 comments
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Bang, I did it again... I just rehived your post!
Week 39 of my contest just started...you can now check the winners of the previous week!
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Big Tech will keep getting stronger while exhibiting their enormous power.

It is a worrisome period, switching off of old manipulated systems many lose income, staying you lose your ability to control your own personal identification and all those who enter your realm.

Those who have knowledge in coding, securing Hive going into the future are appreciated, each need remuneration to live which members must realize.

Sharing information like this makes more become aware of what is happening, time is now to work together I agree.

@tipu curate

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What you say is absolutely true. Big Tech can basically wipe someone out immediately. They simply click the delete account button and a person's entire history vanishes. So does the ability to communicate with relationships forged over time.

Thus we end up with echo-chambers where those who still are on the platforms keep talking in circles, creating more ignorance. That is why freedom of expression is so vital.

And we wont even comment on the freedom of money.

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About a month ago I did a post on here about how 10 years of my work can disappear in a split second if Google decides it's best for them. This made me realize I need a smart solution and decided to move my blog content to Hive. This case that happened last week confirmed I'm right, not that it was necessary.

I know many crafters who are self employed and after all the markets have been cancelled, one after the other, these platforms are the only way to advertise and sell their products. Needless to say they can hardly make ends meet. Imagine taking these options away from them.

Hive needs development to give these people a home, a possibility to continue their businesses and this is just one single example.

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The line between social media/finance/business is fading.

Thus, when all your eggs are in the basket of centralized social media, you find that your financial existence is at their mercy too. The problem gets worse with their own tokens which puts the eradication of an account on a much different level. Suddenly not only is your work gone but literally their goes your money.

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Imagine what it would mean for them to have a place like Hive and for us to have these businesses on Hive. I know jongolson is working on something in this regard but don't know how far he is with the work. I hope it's going to happen soon as there's no other choice. I'd like to open my store on Hive as well.

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Yes CTP is trying to develop some tools that will help people. One is HivePay which is a replacement for PayPal. That is another platform that crushed businesses overnight. Jon had it happen to him when its terms of service were violated, although never explained, and his business fell off a cliff.

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Yes, I've read his sad story, another example how your whole life can be crashed and you have no say in it. Poor guy.
HivePay is a good option, but we also need a marketplace, as Esy is scalping sellers.

I wish devs can see the opportunities we have here. I'm going to be a dev in my next life.

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Why not start learning now? There's tons of free resources out there to learn the trade. I'm a self taught developer.

I'm pretty sure there is a marketplace front-end out there for Hive. I just forget the name of it.

I want to start working on a Hive dapp myself. I've been working on getting a proposal written to hopefully get a small amount of funding. I need to find some other people that would be interested in contributing too as doing it alone would be tough. That's what's holding me back at this moment.

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Maybe if I were younger, that would be my target. Nothing is impossible but I now have other things in mind.

Anyway, good luck to you and I'd like to see you one day creating a dapp on Hive :)

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One thing you forgot to note is the financial aspect of big tech. As they are generally some of the companies that can run with a loss, they are also the best paying platforms for users. This means that they can remove people, reduce their monetization or put pressure on payment processers to destroy people's way to earn money. Besides outright censorship, they have plenty of ways to put pressure on people and force people's hand.

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Great point. They have an enormous amount of leverage over their users especially those that are dependent upon the financial aspects of things.

It is a tough position to be in.

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Big Tech will keep getting stronger while exhibiting their enormous power.

What would happen on Hive if a big dog like Facebook opened up an account backed by millions of dollars and started downvoting posts it didn't like, effectively "censoring" those people through instilling fear of losing rewards.

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The posts would still be on the blockchain so they wouldnt be censored per se. They just wouldnt be making money.

We've seen these kind of voting wars in the past too. And there were people that helped fight the downvote abuse.

But, if someone like FB were to take a major stake, I'd assume another fork could happen like when Justin Sun did it on Steem and we forked to Hive.

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I get that the data can't be erased, but instilling fear is still a form of indirect censorship.

We've seen these kind of voting wars in the past too. And there were people that helped fight the downvote abuse.

I've heard of these in discord chats. Unfortunately didn't see them myself, as I've been only here for a short while.

A fork with an added solution is always an option, as long as each fork is an incremental improvement on the existing blockchain and its goals.

Maybe if a great power like FB comes, people could also stake their HP into one massive "vigilante" account that fight against the giant, creating an almost theatrical case of good vs evil. xD

!WINE

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We also might see a lack of liquidity affect a takeover like that. There are 150 million Hive out there and if something like that happened, people would start to load up. We would see that amount drop very quickly.

Plus the price would skyrocket, further accelerating the more the battle waged and liquidity decreased.

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Valid point. Although with the price increasing, there's a possibility that many people might also sell their HIVE. So the battle would be decided by who will buy most of it up first, those defending or those "attacking" the decentralized nature of the platform.

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As with Steem, what would Facebook be getting in the end?

If they bought everything up, the blockchain could be forked and all applications moved over. Thus Facebook would be left holding very little.

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I haven't really thought about what a big company would gain from this. The hypothetical was more about the the theoretical possibility. Maybe in the case of FB they would buy up everything with each new fork just to kill any movement to decentralized platforms? I don't think losing money on such an act would be a big loss for them if it enables them the survival of their own platform.

The inner workings of Hive economics are something I am still fully trying to understand, so it helps to ask these kind of questions.

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Maybe in the case of FB they would buy up everything with each new fork just to kill any movement to decentralized platforms?

And then it could be forked again...and again...and again.

It is like Microsoft trying to stamp out versions of Linux...it didnt happen because open source software could be reproduced unlimited numbers of times.

The same with a blockchain. We could for it 100 times if we had to, each time forcing FB to buy everything up. And dont forget, on the open market, with word out what it was trying to do, the price would zoom.

It is more effort than it is worth.

Of course, let us make no mistake, Hive is no threat to Facebook's business model at this time. We are not even on the radar as far as they are concerned.

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It is like Microsoft trying to stamp out versions of Linux...it didnt happen because open source software could be reproduced unlimited numbers of times.

Great example. Puts things a bit more into perspective. Sometimes I forget how resilient strong communities can be.

We are not even on the radar as far as they are concerned.

Agreed. While cryptocurrency as a whole and possibly steemit have caught there attention, Hive might still be in the early stages for that.

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This shows how important what we are doing on Hive really is. Providing an alternative to the centralized system is crucial. Now, we must look for everyone opportunity to do that. Layer by layer has to be torn apart, providing a decentralized alternative.

I agree with you. Everything need to be built from the root to the highest level of decentralization. I'm sure this will create some division in some areas as most big techs would do their possible best to manipulate alot of their users not to buy into the idea of decentralization

I am sure we'll get through the storm against centralization

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We are one of the alternatives.

I think everything has to be done with the idea of decentralization in mind. No matter what the task, it has to be done with the focus of growth and spreading things out.

The key is to make everything on here more resilient.

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My friend @erikah wondered what would have happened to her work if Google wanted to make it disappear. I ask you, because you are very well informed, why Google would want this?

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Why would Twitter and Facebook delete accounts?

Google cancels a lot of accounts too. They have agenda's and use it against people.

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Twitter and Facebook have political and opinion-manipulating implications, they pursue a strategy in which you can be in their way, but why would Google delete a blogging account? A site about gardening, cooking or photography?
Of course, they have the power to do it, but what would they gain from it?

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They might not go after a cooking blog but they will a political one? Or one that espoused any views that are against what they want? Perhaps questioning the government or calling the President/Congress out? Perhaps questioning the virtuousness of Big Tech. There could be a lot of reasons.

With censorship, there are no rules because the rules established mean nothing. It is arbitrary.

Maybe the ban the cooking blog because it advocates eating meat and the censor that day is vegan.

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Maybe because I'm too old, maybe because I'm afraid of anarchy ... I've seen much closer (in time) than you what the masses of unleashed people can do. In Romania there have been several incidents of this kind in the last thirty years. I like reason and logic and they don't really take place in an unbridled heterogeneous mass.
The seizure of power by such movements, by the great mass of the exploited people (of course they were right to revolt, because the exploitation was maximum) but the power eventually came into the hands of those who made the most centralized forms of leadership... tyranny, dictatorship (fascist or communist), never followed a golden age. I lived in the cruelest censorship for almost half a century.

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Do you think censoring Donald Trump was a bad idea? I always thought censoring was a bad thing but recently I'm not so sure about it anymore.

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the Trump case reminds us, if it is not yet clear, that the power of social media goes far beyond that of governments. BigTechs control billions of people, who more than them has the power?

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It is hard to overlook the numbers. The US has 300 million, Facebook over 2 billion.

Plus Big Tech is everywhere in our person lives since we carry around them on our phones or through our Alexa, SIRI, etc..

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I really hate big business and have no trust in them whatsoever. Just wish everyone can see how serious this is as everything is slowly being taken away. People need to bin Facebook and the others and get a life.

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Unfortunately, the COVID situation is now making big business even more powerful. This is resulting in many small business and entrepreneurs having to shut their doors.

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However, that pales in comparison to this idea: what is that data was their actual money? How would these people be feeling today if $100K was in their wallet and their account simply was closed down? Suddenly that person is desolate.

This just gave me goosebumps. I personally (and ignorantly) thought that it was no biggie to have ones social media data deleted or censored. Put like that makes me realise the dreadful seriousness of the same.

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Even the chairwomen o Mozilla is in on this. Actually she is calling for even worse things to come. I had some issues with Mozilla. Now I'm completely dissapointed and given up on Mozilla. I don't have much respect left for them anymore. I'm happy Brendan Eich left Mozilla and now working on Brave and BAT.
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2021/01/10/mozilla-chairwoman-we-need-more-than-deplatforming

On the bright side, Gab grew 753% in web traffic in 24 hours: https://reclaimthenet.org/over-40-million-people-flock-to-gab HIVE should think about promoting ourselves on Gab.

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