gnarea

Indeed, iOS is going to be a challenge for the reasons you mentioned. The fact that we won't be able to have a standalone app like Awala on Android[1], which serves local apps, means we won't be able to have a single app that people could use to sync data with couriers.

So, we're going to have to pick a poison. Either we don't offer the sneakernet on iOS, or we'll leave it up to the developer of every app to use an SDK to sync with couriers (meaning that the user would have to open each app to sync with couriers, one app at a time). "Fortunately", Android is pretty much the only mobile OS in the regions susceptible to Internet blackouts, so the former option is the most likely one.

I think I've seen an app like the one you describe, but I can't remember the name. There's also Bridgefy, which is more general purpose, but they provide an SDK that you may be able to integrate. I haven't checked Bridgefy in ages, but I hope they sorted out their security; it didn't use any cryptography for ages, and when they added it was all quite vague and opaque.

NASA and the rest of the space industry have done a fantastic job with the Bundle Protocol (BP) and other related tech[1], but I think they will need something like Awala running on top of BP as we start to send humans further and further into space.

With Awala running on top of the Interplanetary Internet, astronauts could use regular Awala apps, with no need to built custom integrations with things like social networks (once those too are supported on Awala).

I agree! But...

> 1. Making end applications implement your protocol (eg Facebook) makes it way harder to scale, simply because the enshittified big tech apps are unlikely to care. Now the apps will have to maintain a separate service and not get paid to do it.

My bet is that, once we gain sufficient ground, Facebook and other mainstream social networks will be interested in building an alternative clients powered by Awala, just like Twitter built "Twitter Lite" back in the day. It's likely to be a PR stunt.

OTOH, third parties could build such applications, as long as the social networks give them access to their APIs (without extortionate fees!).

Until we gain sufficient ground, we'll carry on with in-house Awala-compatible apps like Letro.[1]

> 2. Having deliberate physical couriers travel across borders are a massive risk

I couldn't post a reply to a message from shubhamkrm because someone flagged it. Honestly, I don't see how the comment would've violated the HN guidelines. They disagreed with me, but did so respectfully. I suspect someone may have perceived it as a violation to the following rule:

> Please don't use Hacker News for political or ideological battle. That tramples curiosity.

But I'd argue that deleting their message actually tramples curiosity. It wasn't a political or ideological message. The focus was ethics.

In the hope that this was a mistake, I'll quote most of their message below next to my replies.

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> A major reason for Internet blackouts here is because in many areas, there’s a deep seated animosity between different communities due to historical and ideological differences. Internet blackouts are done close to any sensitive event, to prevent malicious actors from spreading misinformation/rumours and provoking riots

First of all, I like your summary of the situation in India because I think it's objective and brings its nuance to the front.

> Have you considered the ethical implications of your service in such cases?

I have.

India is the reason why I describe Awala's goal as "providing all human beings with uncensored and timely communication anywhere in the universe – without impairing the fundamental rights of other human beings".[1] That last sentence is mainly because of India.

I agree with the sentiment, or the problem that the government is trying to tackle, but I disagree with their methods. They violate the fundamental human rights of many millions of people -- predominantly in Jammu & Kashmir and Manipur -- whenever they disconnect entire regions, not just from the Internet, but from the outside world. Even the postal service has been suspended.[2]

I don't think it's all India's fault though. At its core, this is a content moderation issue. Those malicious actors that spread misinformation use large WhatsApp groups and the like, and the companies behind those products haven't done enough to address the problem, so local governments in India take the drastic decision to cut off the Internet.

> Are you willing to take the moral responsibility for the damage to life and property that could be caused using your service?

Rather than waiting for something like that to happen, I'm more interested in mitigating it in the first place. That's why:

- Letro[3], the first -- and so far only -- app to be powered by Awala, only supports 1:1 messaging. No groups yet, and when we do, we'll only support a relatively small number of people (TBD; not hundreds or thousands).

- The future functionality to support "broadcasting" information to many users already has built-in mechanisms to handle hate speech and misinformation.[4]

- As I work closely with anyone integrating Awala in their existing services, I intend to ensure that they have adequate plans to address hate speech and misinformation.

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Scuttlebut and SSB-powered apps like Manyverse focus on social media and decentralisation, which is more about "broadcasting" and gossip protocols, where the offline comms is a happy side-effect of their decentralisation goals.

Awala is a platform to make software communicate offline securely. Centralised services like Twitter[1], and decentralised ones like Letro[2], or even hybrids, are all possible.[3]

I'm not on a quest to decentralise the Internet. I'm on a quest to connect people to their loved ones despite repressive regimes and wars.