Private Encrypted Mute Lists could be catastrophic to #Nostr.
Muting users is an important function on a P2P level. Batch muting will occur no matter what. It can't be stopped, nor should it.
But the key to keeping batch muting in check is via PUBLIC mute lists. Because if batch muting starts to be abused, at least we can see it occurring, and possibly address it.
The second that mutes go private, we can no longer see it. Huge swaths of users can be shadowbanned, without anyone knowing the extent, and without any ability to address it. Defeating the entire purpose of a censor-resistant protocol.
Mute lists should have remained public. Further, mutes should be extensively monitored for abuse and mass #censorship formations.
If every Bitcoin financial transaction can be publicly auditable, then every Nostr event should be publicly auditable too.
Don't trust. Verify. Remember?
Unfortunately the encrypted mute NIP likely opened Pandora's Box.
CappyNate🍁
npub1rr…9wudh
2024-05-25 17:48:41
Author Public Key
npub1rr7vzwv4p2wvu0lwtmj0far08clsuvuzwlwv30xkj2euur55pp8qr9wudhPublished at
2024-05-25 17:48:41Event JSON
{
"id": "568d890d1fca9a367996fd194b3ea869f9c63ec4e3819a0bb0f325561bf026ee",
"pubkey": "18fcc139950a9cce3fee5ee4f4f46f3e3f0e338277dcc8bcd692b3ce0e94084e",
"created_at": 1716659321,
"kind": 1,
"tags": [
[
"t",
"Nostr"
],
[
"t",
"censorship"
]
],
"content": "Private Encrypted Mute Lists could be catastrophic to #Nostr.\n\nMuting users is an important function on a P2P level. Batch muting will occur no matter what. It can't be stopped, nor should it.\n\nBut the key to keeping batch muting in check is via PUBLIC mute lists. Because if batch muting starts to be abused, at least we can see it occurring, and possibly address it.\n\nThe second that mutes go private, we can no longer see it. Huge swaths of users can be shadowbanned, without anyone knowing the extent, and without any ability to address it. Defeating the entire purpose of a censor-resistant protocol.\n\nMute lists should have remained public. Further, mutes should be extensively monitored for abuse and mass #censorship formations.\n\nIf every Bitcoin financial transaction can be publicly auditable, then every Nostr event should be publicly auditable too.\n\nDon't trust. Verify. Remember?\n\nUnfortunately the encrypted mute NIP likely opened Pandora's Box.",
"sig": "ca1c0ab1641a78852e6c1bb93016f65dd191f07961bb0e5bc168afcf41a3cef08eca60bb9d1b3c29a849112939020dea99d73c6b5b37d588a0d5b61dcfeeb283"
}