Poll following recent discussions about DM privacy on Mastodon: Should the Mastodon webapp compose screen warn that DMs are stored on the server (accessible by admins)? https://www.strawpoll.me/15387726
@gargron i want to say "yes, but lightly, in a non-alarming way. it's common practice and we're honest about it"
@CobaltVelvet @Gargron +1
for a light blue rectangle, not a huge red one.
Kind of like what Mastodon has when sending over OStatus
@val I strongly second that.
@CobaltVelvet @Gargron Came here to say this also. Be clear that this applies to pretty much all other platforms as well, but that Mastodon wants to be more honest and transparent with users about it.
@CobaltVelvet @Gargron +1
Not only is common practice, but if you want persistent DMs there are very few alternatives
@Gargron Yeah, maybe it's something that could be added to the onboarding as well or instead? I think it's an important message that applies to pretty much every action on Mastodon, though especially important for DMs.
@Gargron Of course the warning could mention that it is the case for all social media platforms...
@Gargron The warning message could include a phrase like "Like most social media platforms [including <list of examples>]..." to reduce the scaring-off effect.
@Gargron If there's actually a not-vanishingly-tiny percentage of people surprised by that, it should be pointed out, I guess.
@Gargron those answers feel way more suggestive than "yes" and "no"
@Michcioperz I have created strong arguments for and against it.
@Gargron I think they shouldn't be part of the answers though, and should instead be listed outside of the poll. Just a pet peeve.
@Gargron Yes, but make sure it's clear that everything else does that too and there's no way around it.
@Gargron is possible to encrypt them?
@Gargron that scares me a lot
but why not? with a warning message should be OK
To do that you'd need a private key that is local to your client (i.e. not stored on your local instance) and you would have to authorize new devices you want to post from in a fashion that they get this key without the server handling it. It also prevents you from recovering your account if you lose the key.
Services such as Signal and Keybase do this, and as such are better suited for truely private communication.
@gargron @jsalvador and why 'no'? Perhaps its not currently possible because it's not been implemented, but why would it be technically impossible to encrypt DMs? Users would have private and public keys and they could be used to encrypt and decrypt DMs. Perhaps an ambitious undertaking, put certainly possible?
@jsalvador @gargron I mean aren't secured DM systems such as Signal about end-to-end encryption, so they are capable of doing that.
@sciss @Gargron @jsalvador In-browser cryptography is really insecure for a number of technical reasons, so it wouldn't be feasible to implement
@Gargron Sory for the ignorance, What are DM's?
@Divert direct messages
@Gargron yes (voted) but also advocating an additional splainer indicating most social media platforms do this
and some E2E suggestions
Thanks for having the integrity to seek community feedback on this @Gargron, doing this isn't the easy way.
I suspect the reason so much of the net feels like a corporation's backyard is because decisions to do what everyone else always did just game made unquestioned.
And that leads to everyone making the same assumptions and the whole thing being fragile to the same kind of failure.
Best wishes.
@gargron
I don't see why not. Plus is it educates ppl who maybe never thought about it and it's such a small thing to do tjat encourages people to think about who has access to the things they post. I guess minus it might be interface clutter? Maybe "Yes, with a 'don't show this again' option"
@gargron
My official answer is idc :)
@Gargron voted!
@Gargron what having it be a option when you install the server and the user has a page in settings where the user can view the "privacy" settings on the node they are on so they can tell easily if the server owner can view their DM's
@ninja85a @Gargron How would Mastodon determine this "privacy" settings? The admin can tell the user whatever they want, and this is not the role of Mastodon to understand the security of where it runs. This feature seems to me hazardous at best.
OTOH implementing PEP would help users utilize strong cryptography from the client for DMs, making it easier to block admin envy.
@Gargron
Voted yes. I think it's better to strive to be a better platform rather than a superficially better-looking platform. Maybe have a read more that mentions that most other services do it too, and recommend Signal for secure communication?
@Gargron I don't know if that's necessary on the compose screen. I definitely think it should be transparent though, maybe in an FAQ or readily-availible post on privacy?
@Gargron "Just like these other platforms, we store this on the server. The difference is we are telling you about it." Or something like!
@Gargron Hi Eugen, although it is common use by all the same sort of platforms. A one time 'cookie notice' that informs new users, or an addition in the TOS will put the users above the party (in this case Mastodon) and give open information about the flaws that other platforms have and not tell their users. As Mastodon is different this will make a big statement and I believe positive effect to people that want to know all. (no hidden benefits for mastondon). Greetings from Holland, Barbara
@Gargron Yes, especially if they're cross-instance. With anyone being able to set up an instance - I trust my admin, but can I trust the admin of honeypot.example isn't reading all the DMs sent to that instance?
@Gargron there's also a difference between it being technically possible at faceless megacorp and some guy whose server you're on being able to read them.
@Gargron if you do this, mention that this is just like every other social network, so people don’t start FUDing it up.
@ajroach42 @Gargron I second this.
@Gargron
I would say yes but people that are using a DM system on any service shoukd assume that it all gets stored on the server
@Gargron very useful to know, will use a different platform for sensitive communications
@Gargron *sends flowers to the orange part of the circle*
@Gargron By the way, thanks for asking your users.
@Gargron We may also mention Twitter and Discord, btw.
@gargron The way the options are phrased leads me to conclude that I have no idea what is the best option.
@ink_slinger @gargron I think that means they are phrased very well.
@Gargron ⚠ warning sounds a bit strong
but a little info box saying something to the effect of "direct messages are not encrypted and will be readable by admins and mods of both this instance the recipient instance(s)" (with maybe a link to a more thorough explanation for those interested) would be a good idea
from an end user perspective, I very much like being told what a feature really does instead of having to assume.
@Gargron I'd word it as "Remember: these messages are stored on this server..." etc.
Or maybe "Note on privacy:..."
As other people are saying, it shouldn't be signaled as a nefarious practice but as a privacy level to be aware of.
@Gargron Think of it as a "privacy usability feature" similar to onboarding, to help remind people every time they send a message in case it might change their mind that particular time.
@Gargron If possible, I would suggest linking to a list of native apps that do encrypt your messages. But doing it in the browser is pure security theatre.
@gargron Voted!