Why Session’s censorship resistance is the strongest
Question: Why does Session messenger have the strongest censorship resistance known to man?
Explain it to me like I’m 16,
a) Encryption has a public key and a private key.
b) Nostr, Tor Onions, and Session all use encryption as identity, with the public key as your username, and the private key as your password
c) If the government obtains your private key for Nostr or Tor Onion, it’s game over. You lost.
d) But if the government gets your Session private key, you then re-assign your username on the blockchain to another account with a 2nd key. So your speech and delivery to your followers is not realistic to stop.
Explain it to me like I’m a tech-savvy journalist:
a) Session has unique DNS based on the blockchain.
b) Session is like Nostr, with a public/private keypair for identity, where decentralized permissionless relays host content
c) UNLIKE Nostr, where it goes to the POSTER’s chosen relay out in the open. Session’s relays put 1-on-1 messages on the RECIEVER’S assigned relays using a distributed hash type system on a darkweb. This presents extreme challenges for both censorship and surveillance since the delivery is both hidden and distributed.
d) Unlike Nostr which is on the clearweb, Session routes the messages through an onion mixnet like Tor. So we can think of Session with the analogy of a combination of Nostr, Telegram, and Tor.
e) Unlike Tor Onions, where the encryption key for identity is in the server’s memory and therefore the location is critical to hide. Instead, Session has 2 sets of keys, 1 for the actual messages, and a 2nd keypair for a cold storage crypto wallet that owns the username, and can then re-assign it on the blockchain to another public key.
Explain it to me like I’m a crypto anarchist:
a) These government thugs want to censor speech. They can’t ban Monero or “No KYC” Bitcoin if we can transact freely. We can transact freely if we can speak freely.
b) Tor onions are vulnerable to be seized because the Onion’s private key is at the physical location of the content delivery. If these violent .gov thugs seize the Tor server, it’s game over.
c) Instead, Session divorces physical locations from your push notification speech, by both delivering content through distributed decentralized nodes, and allowing you a 2nd cold storage wallet key to re-assign the username to another public key if discovered. By completely separating physical locations from identity, we deprive corrupt tyranny from the ability to use violence which is their only power.
d) Nostr is on the clearweb, meaning we can see who hosts the content. Cloudflare and Hetzner host more than half of the relays and can like take content down on government requests to just 2 entities.
e) Instead Session not only protects the sender and relays, but also the receiver. This protects your audience which is critical.
Explain it to me like I’m a business entrepreneur:
a) Uncensored free speech has more value in a corrupt society
b) We are moving towards totalitarianism
c) Session allows self-custody of your audience in the same way that Bitcoin or Monero allow self-custody of your funds.
d) Domain names from the government have limited value to conservatives, libertarians, crypto companies, CBC cannabis, gambling, and whatever else is controversial if you can’t say anything on them
e) Session usernames have more value to the relevant stakeholder and when they are easy to spell
f) You can speculate on Session usernames for huge relevant stakeholders now for pennies, and sell them later for a huge profit if humanity realizes the true potential for self-custody of social media identity
Explain it to me like I’m a Bitcoin Maxi:
a) Session has it’s own token in order to function. The system can’t function without the darkweb relays being paid.
b) These “tokens” should not be thought of as money but coupons or shares in a corporation. Because they are only used to buy one product (names on a blockchain) and are not used for anything else.
c) Rather than view this as a competing crypto or challenger to Bitcoin, it should be viewed as a way of bypassing the stock market for a controversial company that’s defying the government.
d) The primary purpose of Bitcoin is to separate money and the state. This should expect a violent response from the state. Other tools are needed beyond the money itself for a marketplace under these totalitarian conditions.
e) Therefore because Session’s crypto is not competing with Bitcoin, and in fact adds to Bitcoin’s value proposition, by allowing for the organization and speech of no KYC transactions to occur.
f) If I were a government thug, I would try to smear Session’s adoption by playing Nostr Bitcoin maxis against Session. This is an age-old tactic of divide and conquering slaves. It’s been used in the Middle East with arming both Sunnis and Shiites. It’s been used in Africa with the Tutsi and Hutus of the Rwandan genocide. And I beg you to realize my brother, it’s being used on you now.
Join the rebellion.
Message the bot at, Session ID: Simple
Get Session at getsession.org
If you really want to learn and take your privacy to the next level, subscribe to our new content via: Nostr, Bastyon, Session, RSS, Ethereum Push
Related Posts
CLI Session Bot Release Notes
This article is only intended for those that intend to run the Session bot, and not everyday readers.
[SP]
Apr 11, 2024
Session vs Nostr
Both use public/private keypairs over public nodes/relays
[SP]
Apr 8, 2024
Spain has banned Telegram. Defending Session
Session messenger gets a lot of criticism, but many of these arguements are not that strong.
[SP]
Mar 23, 2024
Original GUI Version of Session Bot Software
This software is designed to weaponize Session messenger’s unique DNS to provide a platform to the voiceless and oppressed.
[SP]
Feb 24, 2024