this post was submitted on 10 Aug 2024
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Privacy
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could matrix.org be as easily blocked, since it's decentralized I'm wondering?
At least it means that Signal is working as intended if they are blocking it, I guess that they don't have back doors.
Being decentralized prevents DNS or IP blocks but not blocks through DPI.
Signal has an option to masquerade it's traffic as regular HTTPS, I don't know if Matrix can do such a thing.
https://x.com/signalapp/status/1821979304626155930
I can answer this! All matrix calls are over https APIs. Ports and addresses are stored in a text file on the base domain or in DNS txt entry.
Thanks, nice to have someone knowledgeable.
Would you say matrix is censorship resistant? I've very limited knowledge of it but given what you said I imagine that if I was trying to block matrix I would just need to query the url of the text file and check the DNS text entry, if either exist just add the domain to the blocklist.
Matrix is in fact decentralized but in reality it is not so much, I don't know the number exactly but the majority of users use the matrix.org server
Those numbers only include instances that have telemetry enabled
Do you have numbers without?
How would you?
No clue, not familiar with Matrix to that level.
I mean, that's not specific to Matrix. Telemetry is the tool used to get the numbers, so I don't see how you would collect numbers on servers that don't report numbers.
Theoretically they could be reported by federated servers that do have it enabled
But you would miss all the numbers from non-federated instances.
Im surprised there are zero calls to any official matrix server(s) from those instances.
Not even random API for metadata, update status, etc?
Telemtry is a word. It only means as much as it means in each context, and without full context it means little atm.
Do you have a resource where I could learn more about what data Matrix considers telemetry?
The whole point of not being federated is not to call the other servers. I don't run a server but I hope it's not calling home if specifically configured to not be federated.
People who live in countries where DNS and IP blocks are common probably use a different server. I've been running my own for over a year and it works like a dream
Or SimpleX?
It cannot be easily blocked especially if you use your own homeserver every homeserver replicates the channel and it can operate without the original server! That's why signal and telegram are inherently flawed.
Yes