Discord's upcoming age verification requirement has sparked backlash, but finding a privacy-respecting alternative is challenging. Signal is currently the only messaging app with proper end-to-end encryption, but it's centralized and lacks Discord's feature set. The author argues that a true Discord replacement needs to be free software, self-hostable, federated, and decentralized—none of which exist today. Building such a platform requires combining technologies like Tor Onion Services, Key Transparency, and MLS (Messaging Layer Security), while simultaneously fighting age verification laws through political organizing.
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Discord is Different Things to Different PeopleWhich Apps Are Good for Privacy?On Age VerificationClosing Thoughts1.5K Impressions