Deletion is not a false aim, though. I feel the "nothing gets permanently deleted on the internet" has always been a flawed argument. This is emotional more than technical
There is a threshold over which most people will consider the deletion obligation to have been fulfilled, even though they will not be aware of the nuts and bolts (as technical people will). And that threshold is what matters.
ATProto does meet that threshold, with deletion at the PDS level, even though the relays make take time to delete or overwrite the event (ATProto relays are non-archival by design.) So on ATProto you can have a button that says "delete this post" and it'll be *accurate enough*. Or delete my account, the same, *accurate enough*.
Nostr doesn't meet that threshold, it's well under, and the result is that most average users will feel emotionally vulnerable. You have to have a button that says "request delete", which is a total freak-out phrase. The average user will become intensely aware that they don't really own their posts, someone else does and they have to ask that someone else politely to remove them if desired. Again, that's freak-out territory.
Also most cases of post deletion are deletes before anyone has seen the post, so the "things can be screenshotted" argument is also null. (Plus only 0.001% of users are screenshot worthy people.)
Basically for today's user you have to be over that threshold, even though of course you'll never get to a place where there is true and all-encompassing deletion.
Joe / Joe working on B2B
npub1hy…wtqnx
2025-05-13 11:33:48
in reply to nevent1q…3eha
Author Public Key
npub1hyxredcavc6ruqgsf4wf4hmakpwnvefmzaspl7dja6a2sxlx0q3sxwtqnxPublished at
2025-05-13 11:33:48Event JSON
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"content": "Deletion is not a false aim, though. I feel the \"nothing gets permanently deleted on the internet\" has always been a flawed argument. This is emotional more than technical\n\nThere is a threshold over which most people will consider the deletion obligation to have been fulfilled, even though they will not be aware of the nuts and bolts (as technical people will). And that threshold is what matters. \n\nATProto does meet that threshold, with deletion at the PDS level, even though the relays make take time to delete or overwrite the event (ATProto relays are non-archival by design.) So on ATProto you can have a button that says \"delete this post\" and it'll be *accurate enough*. Or delete my account, the same, *accurate enough*. \n\nNostr doesn't meet that threshold, it's well under, and the result is that most average users will feel emotionally vulnerable. You have to have a button that says \"request delete\", which is a total freak-out phrase. The average user will become intensely aware that they don't really own their posts, someone else does and they have to ask that someone else politely to remove them if desired. Again, that's freak-out territory. \n\nAlso most cases of post deletion are deletes before anyone has seen the post, so the \"things can be screenshotted\" argument is also null. (Plus only 0.001% of users are screenshot worthy people.)\n\nBasically for today's user you have to be over that threshold, even though of course you'll never get to a place where there is true and all-encompassing deletion. ",
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