Tonight I watched The Great Hack which just came out on Netflix.
Wow.
(Image via IMDB)
Want to make sense of the Trump election, Brexit, "fake news", Cambridge Analytica, and Zuckerberg testifying before Congress? I definitely suggest you watch it.
This documentary got me thinking once again about privacy. Yes, I'm all about radical transparency (see Privacy, Identity, and Human Flourishing), but there's also a place for truly owning your own data online. That means you control it and you get to decide how and when it is used by others. As an example, you might encrypt a message and only give the decryption key to people you select. Others might even pay you for the information you have which is valuable, instead of just scraping it off your social feed for free.
This stuff is really important. To get a sense of how important, please spend a few minutes and read A Cypherpunk's Manifesto. It's just over 800 words and will take about 7 minutes on average to read. Here's just a couple lines of this excellent text written in 1993:
For privacy to be widespread it must be part of a social contract. People must come and together deploy these systems for the common good. Privacy only extends so far as the cooperation of one's fellows in society.
What would privacy on Steem look like?
Yes, we can send encrypted memos easily enough by just doing a transfer and starting the memo with a #
, but what about encrypted posts which only certain people can read? What might that look like?
Well, let's look at an example. Imagine you want to post something here on this public blockchain, but you only want a small community of friends to read it. You want to own this data and decide who has access. I've played with similar ideas before:
But here's a way to make it even easier with a bookmarklet. What's a bookmarklet? Well it's...
a small software application stored as a bookmark in a web browser, which typically allows a user to interact with the currently loaded web page in some way.
It's simple enough to create a new bookmark (usually in your browser's Bookmarks Bar), give it a name, and paste in the JavaScript code that will interact with the page you're on. This post from a few years ago includes a little animation showing how bookmarklets work. For this encryption example, you can use the code here in this github gist: https://gist.github.com/lukestokes/10bf255012a0de027ba4e1235f471a39
Just copy the raw code from here and save it as the "url" of a bookmark to create a bookmarklet. I gave mine the name "Encryption".
Please note, you should never install bookmarklets you don't trust as they can steal your sessions and possibly even your private keys if they are loaded into your browser memory or accessible via JavaScript. I got the code for this one from this page which includes crypto libraries hosted by cloudflare. If you're okay with that, proceed on.
Now, to test it out, click your bookmarklet, select the text below, copy it, and paste it in the "Text to Decrypt" textarea. Use the password 2o6cfqpPtHpLK7NYPvXzbqUFt
and click Decrypt:
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
That right there is a real example of how we can easily send encrypted messages on Steem.
Just post an encrypted message you only want to share with your friends by encrypting it with a password you send to them via an encrypted Steem memo.
Keep in mind that what you put on a blockchain is there forever, so don't expect your secret message to stay secret forever. Most encryption mechanisms eventually become vulnerable to faster (or quantum) computers which can brute force them, but for now you're fine to use methods like this as long as we're not talking government level secrets.
I hope you watch The Great Hack, read A Cypherpunk's Manifesto, and think about what role privacy plays in your online life.
Do you find this interesting? Want to try it out? Leave an encrypted comment and send me 0.001 STEEM with the password in a memo beginning with #
(or, if that's too much work, just leave the password in plain text with your comment so others can decrypt it also).
Luke Stokes is a father, husband, programmer, STEEM witness, DAC launcher, and voluntaryist who wants to help create a world we all want to live in. Learn about cryptocurrency at UnderstandingBlockchainFreedom.com







