- Get an intro to the decentralized internet.
- Why censorship resistant apps?
- Find a list of decentralized Blockstack apps (dApps) 👇
Digital freedom, privacy and freedom of speech is under attack. If this bothers you, read on and check out the apps built on Blockstack.
Enter Blockstack – The Decentralized Internet
Blockstack is a promising solutions to the problems of privacy, censorship and data breaches. It allows you to access apps and secure your data with one single ID, owned 100% by you. Your self sovereign identity.
Blockstack aims to build a new decentralized internet on top of Bitcoin and its own “stacks” blockchain. It allows you to own your online identity, data and accounts 100%.
You’ll use your unique ID to log into apps and websites on the Blockstack browser. Get your ID here (learn more about this ID (self sovereign identity) at the end of the post).
Why Blockstack Apps (dApps)?
Google and Facebook are recklessly spying on you. They know everything about you. Social media censorship is at an all time high. Tech firms leak and exposes your most sensible data to abuse by internet criminals. Bothers you? Me too.
Recently we’ve seen a wave of “deplatforming” on Twitter, Facebook, Youtube and the list goes on. The list includes journalists, elected politicians etc. The concept of speech online being arbited by a handful of Silicon Valley executives is questionable.
Your online identity is owned by Facebook. It’s owned by Google. It’s owned by Twitter. It screams for decentralization. Things are about to change.
Blockchain Based Infrastructure
We’re in the first innings in a shift towards the “can’t be evil” model. “Don’t be evil” belongs to the first version of the internet and centralized controlled platforms. Blockchains enables trustless or trust minimized applications.
“There is a growing movement — emerging from the blockchain and cryptocurrency world — to build new internet services that combine the power of modern, centralized services with the community-led ethos of the original internet. We should embrace it.”
“Instead of placing our trust in corporations, we can place our trust in community-owned and -operated software, transforming the internet’s governing principle from “don’t be evil” back to “can’t be evil”.”
Chris Dixon
Chris Dixon of a16z clearly gets it. Here’s the full post “Who Will Control the Software That Powers the Internet?“.
The decentralized internet is coming. The first versions of encrypted, censorship resistant alternatives are already here.
List of Decentralized Blockstack Apps (dapps)
Here’s a list of decentralized and censorship resistant apps built on Blockstack. Find alternatives to Google, Facebook, hosting providers, social media and more.
Chat Apps
Docs Apps
- Graphite Docs: Edit docs and sheets. Store files and contacts. Share your work with colleagues and friends. (Alternative to: Google docs, sheets and drive).
- YourNote: Note taking app protecting user data.
- Note Riot: Encrypted notes.
- Blockusign: Encrypted document signing and digital notary.
- Forms.id: Private, secure alternative to Google Forms.
Social Apps
- Travelstack: A decentralized photo diary and social network for travelers.
- Afari: Twitter’ish.
- Huddle
- Kit: Cultivate stronger relationships
- SpringRole: Your professional profile on the blockchain
Storage Apps
- Blockvault: Decentralized password manager.
- Recall Photos: Open-source alternative to Google Photos. Your memories, your data.
- Block Photos: Encrypted photo storage.
- XOR Drive: Encrypted decentralized file storage.
Wallet Apps
- Misthos: Multisig Wallet.
Web Sites and Content Apps
- dPage: Create webpages on the decentralized internet. Censorship resistant webpages.
- XOR Browers: Create, host and browse censorship resistant websites.
- Graphite Publishing: Decentralized and encrypted publishing platform. Own your data and blog posts.
- Lander: Your landing page on the decentralized internet.
- BitPatron: The decentralized censorship-free Patreon alternative.
Governance Apps
- Sovereign – Democracy Earth
Identity Apps
- Blockcred: Stopping academic credential fraud in the Middle East and Africa.
Learn More About the Decentralized Internet and Self Sovereign Identity
Blockstack – A New Internet for Decentralized Apps
Christopher Allen on Self-Sovereign Identity:
I was present when Christopher Allen gave this talk in Zurich. Very inspiring and a cue on how the future of digital identity is going to shape up.
First posted dec, 2018