Substratum: The Internet's Best Solution for Net Neutrality?

in #cryptocurrency7 years ago (edited)

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There are many merits to free and open access to information. With the recent FCC's repeal of net neutrality, giving Internet Service Providers (ISPs) control over access-points to Internet resources, further fragmentation is bound to happen and the lack of net neutrality could stifle the power of network effects. Cyberbalkanization will be expedited under such an arrangement, especially between Internet users that have no choice over their ISPs. It's a slippery slope for censorship. It'll create an insidious problem, even if the intent is absent. Here's what cyberbalkanization means:-

Cyberbalkanization is the segregation of the Internet into smaller groups with similar interests, to a degree that they show a narrow-minded approach to outsiders or those with contradictory views. While the Internet has largely been credited for broadening discussion, it also can serve as a means of bringing together fringe groups with intolerant viewpoints. So, while the Internet has contributed to globalization and information exchange, it also may be used to foster discrimination.
by Techopedia

While net neutrality has been holding back free market solutions by the private sector, I personally think that net neutrality should stay, just like our unspoken rule about mail neutrality. It's clearly a bad idea if mailing networks are discriminatory and doesn't serve any of your mails or attempts to communicate with certain parts of the population. It's the virtual equivalent of Trump's wall. All consenting parties should ideally be able to communicate with one another with filters / restrictions. However, the nature in which net neutrality is maintained ought to be shifting into the power of markets, away from good old nation-state control.

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Source: Startup-Book

But it's not as simple as it seems. Even though net neutrality has been repealed, it remains that ISPs will still be dependent on the cost-intensive infrastructures that are funded, built, and maintained by the entrepreneurial state. The private sector wouldn't be able to manage building out the entire foundations of the Internet on their own without absorbing too much capital risks.

So we're left with a far bigger problem with the end of net neutrality, whether or not if you agree with state-control. In any case, ISPs don't actually operate in a free market since they have a dependency on expensive infrastructures that are a mix of the private and public sector. A better description of the modus operandi of ISPs is that they operate in a licensed cartel environment. Even Andreas Antonopolous explained the same thing here.

Personally, I think ISPs will end up trying to capitalise on specific segments of Internet traffic with huge influxes of user activity. You've guessed it: cryptocurrency-related activities would be a lucrative target to gatekeep. It's the fastest growing phenomenon on the Internet anyway.


Source: https://substratum.net/

With net neutrality being a hot topic recently, I came across a cryptocurrency project called Substratum, thanks to @lpfaust's notification. After studying their whitepaper and devlogs, I'm actually quite convinced now their solution is positioned extremely well in the space to provide free and open access for anyone with an Internet connection. All with the right token economics that'll enable mass adoption since anyone can participate easily in the mesh network with any web browser, all without the need for VPN or Tor.

I've personally acquired some Substratum (SUB) tokens recently because I believe this is a great free market solution for net neutrality, particularly when access to the Internet has now fallen onto the whims of overly-large corporations with vested interests that might work against the grain of users. I think it's going to be a huge win for everyone even in places like China and Venezuela with firewalls on web content, if the end product works. Check out Substratum's recent devlog:-

If money is pure information and a content-type, the solutions for net neutrality offered by Substratum will be a great benefit for cryptocurrencies and Internet users worldwide, in my opinion. Definitely a long-term hold for me. I think they've something legit and wish they'd get more attention and scrutiny to get it going. Please resteem this if you like the message. Hopefully this has been an informative post. Thanks for reading!

PS: Substratum reminds me of this scene in the Silicon Valley series.

Resources

Substratum website: https://substratum.net/
How-it-works: https://substratum.net/how-it-works/
Whitepaper: https://substratum.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Substratum_English_Whitepaper.pdf
Markets: https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/substratum/#markets



This is not to be taken as financial advice. Please do your own research.
Follow me @kevinwong.

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Hey man, thanks for pointing out Substratum. There is so much new technology manifesting it is difficult to keep up. It’s cool to help the community out when something peeks our interest as these opportunities could easily get missed. The net nuetrality decision was kind of a bummer, but I have faith we will figure it out. Looks like Substratum is certainly an alternative/solution if need be. Thanks!

Thanks man :) Let me know what you think about it. I’ve only spent about six hours trying to understand the solution.. okay i've spent enough time grasping it. I think their approach just might work and get adopted fast enough.

I think it's ok with trying to become better

I don't think there is a big chance for the future not to have a censorship free
limitless and permission-less internet.
Since people are already on it there will be solutions soon.
re-steemed.

It's kind of funny to see how authority is operating as if it's completely unaware of how badly they are about to be blindsided. They keep making these gaffes lately trying to work through an old centralized model of rent seeking behavior setting themselves up to become middlemen for a soon to be obsolete system. The political theater is going to be epic when their one trick pony breaks.

Substratum looks similar to the blockstack.org- reading white paper now. Thanks for the find!

PS - wondering how much running a Substratum node will jack up my internet bandwidth (I run a metered connection).

Still waiting for the beta! Oh I don't think think it's similar to blockstack, quite different layers they're tackling. Blockstack's development is more matured though!

Resteemed.

This is how I'm trying to look at the net neutrality issue also. I've believed all along that this will foster innovation. It seems substratum is a good example of this.
I'll be getting onboard.

I'm all for decentralizing the net. That is how it was supposed to be in the beginning.

This and other technologies is our chance to take the net back from the gatekeepers.

Great post.
Keep Steeming!

Thanks @wdougwatson. So far substratum seems to be a better answer compared to some of the other coins out there trying to decentralise the net as well. I think they’ve a sensible approach for quick and easy adoption :)

Me too. My hope however is 1000 solutions. Everything from local meshnets, to new kinds of darknet, to solutions like substratum.

Great post. "the nature in which net neutrality is maintained ought to be shifting into the power of markets, instead of good old nation-state control." Solid quote right there and I agree. I've been following Net Neutrality recently and I also came across SUB as well. I have been watching it, looking for an entry point, however, if you buy and hold long term, I can only see this rising in value. People will naturally flock to a decentralized internet once they become aware. Blockchain technology is going to revolutionize the world. I believe that it truly has the potential to shift the power away from the elite and bring it back to the people. Big government can try to control it, but the people will prevail and will always be one step ahead. Thanks for the share.

I really didn't follow most of what you wrote about the need for Net Neutrality but thanks for providing some information on Substratum. I will check it out.

I guess it's just a matter of semantics, i think a concept like net neutrality is important for anyone to be able to reach anyone else as long as there's consent. The ISP shouldn't be able to have control over the connection.

Substratum has been on my radar recently as I heard it seems promising etc but I haven't known what they are about. Thanks for sharing this information and it seems like they have some really good timing for this project amidst the recent developments as you state.

I will have to look it up further - Thanks for sharing !

I'm for anything that keeps information free and accessible and out of government and corporate control. It's kind of ironic that we need protection from government interests. In essence I feel that the internet should fall under public domain as a utility, the same as electricity and water. It's needed to function and should be non profit. I have yet to hear a plausible argument for getting rid of neutrality. In the absence of neutrality we should do anything necessary to protect everyone's right to access information at cost, rather than at profit.

I think cryptos like substratum is a happy medium for public domain altruism and private profit..

yep never heard of it til now. putting it on my radar for investment

@kevinwong - It is unfortunate that the ISPs will get to control the access to certain content and charge premiums. Though that presents/ enhances entrepreneurial opportunities for ISPs, it regulates the Internet, which is not good as you point out. The aspect about indirect government control (because ISPs in many countries will be dependent on Government infrastructure) also bothers me. I think you are right - solutions like Substratum that promote masking type of internet usage will certainly pick up momentum in future. It is the next evolution of proxies I think. It will be a big step for net neutrality.

Thanks for this informative and intriguing article. Upvoted full.

Regards,

@vm2904

I've invested a little in substratum also. Looks like a solid and much needed project!