📣THREAD: It’s surprising to me that so many people were surprised to learn that Signal runs partly on AWS (something we can do because we use encryption to make sure no one but you–not AWS, not Signal, not anyone–can access your comms).

Reply to 📣THREAD: It’s surprising to me that so many people were surprised to learn that Signal runs partly on AWS (something we can do because we use encryption to make sure no one but you–not AWS, not Signal, not anyone–can access your comms). on Mon, 27 Oct 2025 18:06:57 GMT

valhalla@social.gl-como.it — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 18:06:57 GMT

@tezoatlipoca thankfully *that* particular failure mode can't happen (fanless SBC), but now I've spent too many minutes working on an hypothetical scenario where “hungry cat with hacker skills” is part of the thread model, and I am worrying for my own sanity just a bit :D

Reply to 📣THREAD: It’s surprising to me that so many people were surprised to learn that Signal runs partly on AWS (something we can do because we use encryption to make sure no one but you–not AWS, not Signal, not anyone–can access your comms). on Mon, 27 Oct 2025 17:00:59 GMT

tezoatlipoca@mas.to — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 17:00:59 GMT

@valhalla @daniel

MENDOZA!!!!!

Reply to 📣THREAD: It’s surprising to me that so many people were surprised to learn that Signal runs partly on AWS (something we can do because we use encryption to make sure no one but you–not AWS, not Signal, not anyone–can access your comms). on Mon, 27 Oct 2025 15:09:34 GMT

valhalla@social.gl-como.it — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 15:09:34 GMT

@tezoatlipoca @daniel @Mer__edith I'm quite sure that I have more physical access control to the xmpp server that I hope to have running in my office at home in a few weeks than to any AWS node, so that would already be an improvement.

also, if somebody is willing to break into my home to get access to the updates on how often the neighborhood cat has been fed, I want to congratulate them on their priorities.

unless it's the cat himself. in that case “get out, you're not allowed in this room, because it's not cat safe, and *how* did you even manage to get in?”

Reply to 📣THREAD: It’s surprising to me that so many people were surprised to learn that Signal runs partly on AWS (something we can do because we use encryption to make sure no one but you–not AWS, not Signal, not anyone–can access your comms). on Mon, 27 Oct 2025 14:06:57 GMT

tezoatlipoca@mas.to — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 14:06:57 GMT

@daniel @Mer__edith Even _IF_ it were possible to create a black box version of "distributed Signal mesh node in a box" that you could run in your basement to help make Signal more tolerant - I mean with enough $ and willpower Im sure it could be done - there's still the question of: if you don't control physical access to the node, there's still potential for attack regardless of how much encryption and protection. Would you ever be able to trust it completely?

Reply to 📣THREAD: It’s surprising to me that so many people were surprised to learn that Signal runs partly on AWS (something we can do because we use encryption to make sure no one but you–not AWS, not Signal, not anyone–can access your comms). on Mon, 27 Oct 2025 13:26:51 GMT

daniel@gultsch.social — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 13:26:51 GMT

@Mer__edith What if, instead of running a global comms platform for millions of people that requires AWS level infrastructure, we run a bunch of small, local ones that all federate and interop with each other?

Reply to 📣THREAD: It’s surprising to me that so many people were surprised to learn that Signal runs partly on AWS (something we can do because we use encryption to make sure no one but you–not AWS, not Signal, not anyone–can access your comms). on Mon, 27 Oct 2025 10:40:29 GMT

mer__edith@mastodon.world — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 10:40:29 GMT

The question isn’t "why does Signal use AWS?" It’s to look at the infrastructural requirements of any global, real-time, mass comms platform and ask how it is that we got to a place where there’s no realistic alternative to AWS and the other hyperscalers. 3/

Reply to 📣THREAD: It’s surprising to me that so many people were surprised to learn that Signal runs partly on AWS (something we can do because we use encryption to make sure no one but you–not AWS, not Signal, not anyone–can access your comms). on Mon, 27 Oct 2025 10:40:18 GMT

mer__edith@mastodon.world — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 10:40:18 GMT

Concerning, bc it indicates that the extent of the concentration of power in the hands of a few hyperscalers is way less widely understood than I’d assumed. Which bodes poorly for our ability to craft reality-based strategies capable of contesting this concentration & solving the real problem. 2/