How do you stay anonymous using IPFS and other p2p decentralsied solutions without a VPN? 📦

16    08 Mar 2021 16:06 by u/VILLAIN

I'm wondering if there is any solution to this because without a VPN, peers can see your IP and get your home address which is a privacy concern. The other solution is using nodes like Tor does with the onion network but that requires people host them which costs money. I see p2p as the best option because of the speed, "normies" are used to how fast the normal internet is and need the average Joe to use these platforms otherwise its DOA, but paying more on top of your internet bill isn't something a lot of people would do just to access a niche version of the internet with way less offerings than the clear net. Kinda related but I like this ID system that https://urbit.org/ has, each user has an Urbit ID which is used as a username, network address, and crypto wallet. Last I checked, https://zeronet.io/ was the same in that regard, you have an ID which can be transferred to multiple devices so you can post as *you* from your laptop and desktop, the idea of having a single *thing* used to login everywhere and authenticate as *you* is great.

7 comments

4 u/SEELE 08 Mar 2021 18:34
People are working on this. Old school P2P is not anonymous, true. IPFS has plans for Tor-style anonymity, but they are on hold until after 1.0. Supposedly SAFE Network is anonymous: https://safenetwork.tech/fundamentals/ There's a file sharing and chat network built on I2P, which provides anonymity: https://muwire.com/
3 u/None 08 Mar 2021 17:36
If IPFS is implemented with actual decentralization (no centralized control of file versions and ownership) then you have far greater security issues than people being able to see your IP. The only way I see to fix this defeats the purpose of IPFS.
3 u/VILLAIN [OP] 08 Mar 2021 17:46
Is this a form of centralized control of file versions? From the front page: "When you look up a file to view or download, you're asking the network to find the nodes that are storing the content behind that file's hash."
3 u/None 08 Mar 2021 17:54
That only works for static files that don't need to change (like music for example). For something that is live or potentially would receive updates the questions arise: Who is allowed to update the file? How do you know the file you're looking at is the most up to date version? How do you know that the updated file is actually legitimate or safe? These are all questions that IPFS, as far as I know, has no solution for which renders the entire protocol useless in its current state IMO.
3 u/VILLAIN [OP] 08 Mar 2021 17:56
Hmm, now I'm thinking could it be possible to have specific elements of a webpage use IPFS for static content only or would that be a convoluted mess.
3 u/None 08 Mar 2021 18:16
Yeah, to me the only thing new that IPFS introduces in its current state is that it brings p2p elements into web browsing (and I wouldn't even be surprised to discover that isn't new either), but its goal of decentralizing the internet is far from being achieved.
1 u/None 08 Mar 2021 21:03
Just get a paid VPN. Who doesn't use one these days?