Unstoppable Domains, a Tim Draper-backed startup focused on blockchain-based uncensorable websites, has launched a decentralized chat protocol. The so-called “Unstoppable Chat”, or simply “dChat” aims to promote confidentiality through a peer-to-peer network and end-to-end encryption. Opposed to mainstream messengers like Facebook, dChat enables users to own, encrypt, and store their messages themselves on their own servers. Users need an Ethereum wallet private key to sign in In order to allow users to fully control their messages, dChat integrates with a user’s cryptocurrency wallet and P2P networks. In order to sign in to the chat, users need to have an Ethereum …
On June 17, the popular video conference app, Zoom, officially announced that end-to-end encryption, or E2EE, has finally arrived for their software. It will be provided to both free and paid users, so long as their account has passed the company’s verification process. According to the announcement, during the beta phase that will start from July, users should verify their phone numbers via a text message. The aim of this step is to prevent the mass creation of abusive accounts. Zoom commented: “We are confident that by implementing risk-based authentication, in combination with our current mix of tools - including …
Zoom, the video conference app whose popularity has rocketed on the back of the global lockdown, won’t be encrypting calls for free users. This way, the company hopes to create space for collaboration with the FBI and other authorities, Zoom CEO Eric Yuan said during a June 2 conference call. According to Yuan, Zoom’s end-to-end encryption service, which is currently under development, will be available exclusively for corporate clients to prevent bad actors from using the app: “Free users for sure we don’t want to give that because we also want to work together with FBI, with local law enforcement …
Swiss blockchain startup, Nym Technologies, has invited the general public to take part in the next phase of its mixnet platform’s user testing on April 8. The privacy infrastructure promises advanced protection against mass-surveillance, and comes at a time when governments globally are expanding their powers in the name of fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. The good mixer Users are initially invited to run mix-nodes on the Nym testnet. A global network of mix-nodes will form the mixnet, which acts to irreversibly hide patterns and metadata in internet traffic by mixing data packets with those of other users. Nym claims that, …
As the first vaccines against COVID-19 roll out, governments and institutions across the world are scrambling to figure out how to provide proof that someone has been vaccinated. Paper certificates, PDFs, wristbands and mobile apps have all been suggested — and the former director of the Centers for Disease Control, Tom Frieden, and international human rights attorney Aaron Schwid urged the adoption of digital “immunity passports” as a way to reopen the world. In theory, their idea is great. In practice, it’s terrible. Or, as the Daily Beast put it: “Vaccine Passports Are Big Tech’s Latest Dystopian Nightmare.” As a …