TRANSITIONING FROM CENTRALIZED DM ( DIRECT MESSAGING) TO DECENTRALIZED DM
It is common knowledge that the web2 messaging apps are centralized in nature and are prone to security and privacy issues. They rely on servers for message relay and storage, this doesn't encourage scalability, and data sovereignty. The DM ( Direct Message) feature of Solcial ushers in a paradigm shift in the world of communication platforms. Each user is identified by their IPNS address, which is obtained directly from their Solana wallet.
Solcial's DM mechanism is based on the innovative integration of several technologies, including IPFS, IPNS, and Gossipsub. The system encrypts messages on the user's local browser before sending them over the IPFS network, which routes the encrypted messages through multiple nodes. Following that, the recipient listens to the IPFS network via various nodes to receive messages addressed to their IPNS address via Gossipsub, a publish/subscribe protocol. The role of Gossipsub in this system is critical for message propagation and handling. It works on the principle of 'gossip,' with nodes randomly selecting a few other nodes and sending their message information to them. The process is then repeated by the selected nodes, rapidly disseminating the message across the network. Gossipsub mitigates common issues associated with network instability and node failures by ensuring quick and robust propagation, enabling seamless communication between users while maintaining data integrity and security.
Advantages of the Solcial DM feature includes:
🙏 End-to-End Encryption and Decentralization: The end-to-end encryption and decentralisation of Solcial’s DM feature are its distinguishing features. The Solcial DM system makes use of the decentralised IPFS network, in contrast to conventional messaging systems that rely on centralised servers. This method ensures that messages remain private and are only accessible by the sender and the intended recipient, eliminating the need for trust in a central authority.
🙏Scalability: The Messaging Layer Security (MLS) Approach
Through the incorporation of Messaging Layer Security (MLS), Solcial’s DM feature addresses scalability, a critical issue in communication systems. MLS can support group DMs with hundreds of thousands of users, in contrast to conventional encryption methods that have a limit of around 100 users. A continuous group key agreement protocol, in which updates to the group’s key are made independently by members and securely propagated to the group, allows for this improvement in scalability.
🙏IPFS: InterPlanetary File System
The InterPlanetary File System (IPFS) is a protocol that was developed to provide a permanent and decentralised method of storing and sharing data. Unlike traditional file-sharing methods, IPFS employs a distributed file system that connects all computing devices to the same file system, reducing the possibility of data loss and ensuring optimal data availability.
🙏PrivateLog: A Unique Feature of Solcial: The "PrivateLog" is a distinguishing feature of Solcial’s DM feature, which is used to increase the decentralisation and ownership of user data within the DM feature. Users write encrypted messages to their personal 'outbox' inside a private log in this design, and pubsub events notify the recipient of new messages. The recipient reads the messages by merging their private log with the sender’s outbox log, effectively reconstructing the conversation without the need for a central server. By distributing encrypted payloads across the IPFS network, each user retains ownership of their data while ensuring message persistence and retrieval efficiency via multiple node relays and IPFS pinning service providers.
Conclusion
The DM feature of Solcial is a game-changer in secure, decentralised communication. Solcial provides a messaging platform that ensures end-to-end encryption, data ownership, scalability, and resilience by integrating IPFS, Solana, Gossipsub, MLS, and the PrivateLog concept. Solcial offers users a trustworthy and privacy-focused messaging experience by leveraging these technologies, establishing a new standard for secure and ownership-centric communication platforms. Despite having the usual growing pains of any new technology, it offers bright prospects that have the potential to fundamentally alter how we view and control digital communication.
About Solcial
Solcial is a permissionless social network that gives users the power of web3 by allowing people to interact with each other without fearing censorship, and allowing content creators to be rewarded fairly at market value.
