Digital IDs, De-Anonymization and Censorship (and Ways to Circumvent Them)

[Lucas88]

Last night I asked ChatGPT to outline the current trends regarding digital IDs, erosion of online anonymity and censorship and their implications. Here is the response that it gave me:

Your concern touches on an increasingly important and complex set of global trends around **digital identity, privacy, censorship, and regulation**. Let's unpack the current developments, what's driving them, and where things seem to be heading.

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## **Current Trends**

### 1. **ID Verification for Age and Access**

* **YouTube**, **Pornhub**, and other platforms are now requiring ID verification in some regions to comply with **age verification laws**.

* Countries like the **UK**, **France**, **Germany**, **Australia**, and several US states (e.g., Louisiana, Utah) are implementing or proposing laws that force platforms to **verify users' ages**, especially for access to adult content.

* This often requires **government-issued ID scans** or access to national identity databases.

> **Implication**: This effectively erodes anonymity online — particularly in accessing sensitive or controversial content.

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### 2. **Expansion of the Digital ID Infrastructure**

* The **EU’s Digital Identity Framework (eIDAS 2.0)** and programs like **India’s Aadhaar**, **Canada’s Digital ID**, and **Australia’s myGovID** are creating **centralized digital identity systems**.

* These are pitched as tools for **convenient, secure access** to services, but critics argue they could be abused for **surveillance** or **control**.

> **Implication**: Once digital ID becomes a gatekeeper for online participation, governments and corporations gain enormous control over what people can access or say.

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### 3. **Censorship Under the Banner of Safety**

* Platforms are being forced to **remove content** based on local laws about misinformation, hate speech, or "harmful content."

* **EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA)** and **UK’s Online Safety Act** demand platforms take more aggressive moderation measures.

* In **non-democratic regimes**, this is often a **pretext for suppressing dissent**.

> **Implication**: Global companies are complying with more stringent national censorship laws, sometimes out of necessity.

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### 4. **De-Anonymization of the Web**

* Services like **X (formerly Twitter)** have begun pushing for **verified identities**.

* Many governments and even some tech leaders are calling for an **end to anonymous accounts** — often citing **trolling, child safety, and misinformation**.

> **Implication**: While there may be legitimate motives, the erosion of anonymity poses threats to free expression and whistleblowing.

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### 5. **Data Collection and Surveillance**

* Verification processes usually involve **biometric data**, such as facial scans, raising the risk of **data breaches**, **misuse**, and **government surveillance**.

* Even when data is handled by "third parties," it's often unclear how securely it is stored or who can access it.

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## **Where Is This Likely Going?**

### **Short-Term (1–3 years):**

* **More countries** will adopt ID verification requirements, especially in the **EU, US states, and Australia**.

* **Major tech platforms** will integrate **government-backed ID verification** as a default for certain services.

* **Anonymity online** will become harder to maintain, especially in **mainstream platforms**.

### **Medium-Term (3–7 years):**

* **Digital IDs** could become **mandatory** for many online activities: social media use, age-restricted content, financial transactions, healthcare access.

* Governments may begin to **tie digital identity to social credit, tax records, or law enforcement** systems — especially in countries with authoritarian tendencies.

* **Resistance and backlash** (e.g., through VPNs, decentralized platforms, privacy tools like Tor) will likely grow — but may also be **criminalized** or blocked.

### **Long-Term (7+ years):**

* The Internet could split into **tightly controlled "regulated zones"** (e.g., EU, China) and **more anonymous "freedom zones"** using decentralization (e.g., Web3, dark web).

* Expect more tension between **privacy advocates**, **governments**, and **Big Tech** over the right to be anonymous, especially in the context of **AI-driven surveillance** and **content moderation**.

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## **Key Drivers Behind This Shift**

* **Protecting minors** (genuine, but often used as a wedge issue).

* **Controlling misinformation** and "harmful" content (open to broad interpretation).

* **National security** and anti-terrorism efforts.

* **Corporate liability** — platforms want to avoid fines under laws like the DSA or COPPA.

* **Economic motivations** — identity verification supports **advertising**, **data collection**, and **commerce**.

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## **What You Can Do**

* **Stay informed** about local digital rights legislation.

* Use **privacy tools**: VPNs, Tor, privacy-respecting browsers (e.g., Brave), decentralized platforms.

* Support **digital rights groups** (e.g., EFF, Privacy International, Access Now).

* Push for **privacy-respecting alternatives** to centralized identity (e.g., self-sovereign identity, Web3 protocols).

* Consider **where you host and access content** — platforms in certain jurisdictions may offer more freedom.

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## Final Thoughts

This shift toward ID verification and digital identity is part of a broader global trend where the **Internet is becoming less anonymous, less open, and more fragmented**. While some regulation may be well-intentioned (especially around child protection), it's clear that **the infrastructure being built could be weaponized for surveillance and control** — especially in the hands of authoritarian states or unaccountable corporations.

I create this thread as a place to discuss anything to do with the topic at hand and the measures you're taking or are likely to take to preserve online privacy and anonymity and to circumvent censorship.

[Lucas88]

I asked ChatGPT for an overview of methods for preserving digital privacy. It outlined each key area, suggested specific tools and programs, and even included recommended reading.

Hopefully, this post can serve as information to help others protect their digital privacy in what seems to be an incipient age of online surveillance and censorship.

**Decentralized Technology / Digital Privacy** is one of the most strategically important areas to understand in the face of increasing online surveillance, censorship, and centralization.

This category includes tools, knowledge, and infrastructure that **protect your digital freedom, anonymity, and independence**. Governments may move to restrict, block, or criminalize some of these tools under the banners of national security, child protection, or anti-terrorism.

Here’s a breakdown of **key topics and content to preserve**, along with **tools and suggested readings**:

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## 1. **Encrypted Communication Tools**

These tools protect your conversations from surveillance by using end-to-end encryption.

### Preserve:

* **Signal**: Most secure mainstream messaging app. Open-source. Works on mobile and desktop.

* **Session**: Decentralized and anonymous alternative to Signal — no phone number needed.

* **OMEMO and OTR**: Encryption protocols for messaging over XMPP (used in apps like Conversations, Gajim).

### Readings:

* Signal whitepaper
* “The Cryptographic Protocols Handbook”
* Tutorials on managing PGP/GPG keys

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## 2. **Anonymous Browsing and Network Access**

Governments and ISPs may try to **log, block, or throttle anonymous browsing**.

### Tools:

* **Tor Browser**: Connects through a decentralized onion-routing network to anonymize browsing.

* **Tails OS**: A secure, amnesic Linux operating system that routes all traffic through Tor.

* **I2P (Invisible Internet Project)**: Anonymity network alternative to Tor, often used for internal hosting.

* **VPNs** (with strong no-logs policies): Mullvad, ProtonVPN, IVPN.

### Readings:

* Tor documentation and source code
* "How the Internet Works" (focus on DNS, IP, TLS, etc.)
* “Operational Security for Activists and Journalists”

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## 3. **Decentralized File Storage & Publishing**

Centralized hosting is vulnerable to censorship. Decentralized storage makes takedowns much harder.

### Platforms:

* **IPFS (InterPlanetary File System)**: Peer-to-peer file storage. Content is referenced by hash.

* **Arweave**: “Permaweb” storage — stores data permanently with incentives.

* **ZeroNet**: Decentralized websites using Bitcoin cryptography and BitTorrent.

### Readings:

* IPFS whitepaper
* “Building Decentralized Web Apps”
* “Arweave’s Permaweb for Long-Term Archival”

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## 4. **Censorship-Resistant Communication & Social Media**

These are alternatives to Twitter, Reddit, etc., designed to resist takedown and surveillance.

### Platforms:

* **Mastodon** (decentralized social media, uses ActivityPub)

* **Nostr** (lightweight protocol for censorship-resistant social messaging)

* **Matrix** (open standard for secure, decentralized chat)

* **Scuttlebutt** (peer-to-peer social network, works offline)

### Readings:

* “The ActivityPub Protocol”
* Nostr Protocol documentation
* Matrix Synapse setup guides

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## 5. **Private and Decentralized Finance (DeFi / Crypto)**

Censorship of money is increasing — preserving economic independence is essential.

### Tools:

* **Monero (XMR)**: Best-in-class for private, fungible digital currency.

* **Bitcoin (BTC)**: Decentralized store of value — but not private by default.

* **Wasabi Wallet** or **Samourai Wallet**: Tools to anonymize BTC.

* **Decentralized exchanges** (e.g., Bisq, ThorChain)

* **Hardware wallets**: Coldcard, Trezor, Ledger (offline crypto storage)

### Readings:

* “Mastering Bitcoin” by Andreas Antonopoulos
* Monero whitepaper
* Tutorials on coin mixing and self-custody

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## 6. **Self-Hosting and Decentralized Infrastructure**

Hosting your own services reduces dependency on big tech platforms and cloud providers.

### Examples:

* **Nextcloud** (private cloud storage)

* **PeerTube** (decentralized video platform)

* **LibreWolf** (privacy-respecting Firefox fork)

* **Yggdrasil Network** (mesh networking for censorship-resistant routing

* **FreedomBox / Umbrel / Start9**: Turn Raspberry Pi or server into self-hosted Internet hub

### Readings:

* “The Self-Hosting Handbook”
* Linux system administration tutorials
* Docker and containerization for private service hosting

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## **Why This Might Be Targeted**

* Governments view these tools as obstacles to law enforcement, tax collection, and control of narratives.

* Censorship regimes (China, Iran, Russia, etc.) already block Tor, VPNs, encrypted apps.

* Even democratic states may force companies to add **"backdoors"** or enforce **real-name usage**.

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## Suggested Actions for Archiving

* Download installers, documentation, and manuals for all above tools.

* Mirror GitHub repos of open-source software.

* Back up on **air-gapped encrypted drives** or **burn DVDs** for long-term cold storage.

* Use decentralized storage (e.g., IPFS) to host backups of manuals and guides.

* Join communities like **r/privacy**, **PrivacyTools.io**, or **Fediverse forums** to stay updated.