[Freedombox-discuss] Rouge Freedomboxes and government intervention

[Sandy Harris]

Jonas Smedegaard <dr at jones.dk> wrote:

> There are people in this world who never ever go to jail, and never ever
> fear that their government is hostile to their actions on internet.
>
> Those I label "consumers".
>
> Then there are people in this world that consume just as much as the
> so-called "consumers" but in addition to that fear their government.
> Maybe because theyt are paranoid, maybe because their government truly
> is hostile to them.
>
> Those I label "Freedom Fighters".

I see what you mean, but think the distinction is largely irrelevant.
Yes. there are some revolutionaries out there and they have some
serious security needs, but meeting those needs is largely out of
scope for us.

What we can do is beat censorship, ensure generally open
communications. That certainly helps some revolutionaries,
though it might help debunk others. We can also make
anonymity or pseudonymity easy, which again helps.

> I very much see the relevancy in separation of a "harmless FreedomBox"
> and an "activism FreedomBox".

I do not. If the Box defeats censorship and tracking, that in
itself is revolutionary.

> My point is that one point (out of several!) in the vision of FreedomBox
> is that the world becomes a better place even if not directly addressing
> then needs of activists ...
>
> I want to address the problem of central logging of the activities of
> the masses _separately_ from the more complex problem of activists
> needing secrecy, anonymity and other powerful features.  Because the
> first is easier and quicker solved than the second.  And because the
> first helps solve the second!

Exactly.