Hey everyone,

Von der Leyen just secured a second term as EC President, and I'm beyond frustrated. Let's break this down:

1. Privacy nightmare:

• Pushing for Chat Control: Goodbye, digital privacy! This move threatens to undermine end-to- end encryption, making our private conversations vulnerable.

• eID System: This essentially paves the way for mass surveillance, linking our digital identity to nearly every online activity.

• Data Retention Revival: Trying to bring back data retention ignores the EU Court of Justice's stance on its incompatibility with fundamental rights.

• Europol's Mass Data Collection: Europol gets a free pass to collect massive amounts of data without sufficient oversight. This is a dangerous precedent.

• AI Act and Biometric Surveillance: Supporting biometric mass surveillance within the framework of AI regulation is a direct path to an Orwellian society.

2. Corruption allegations:

• Shady Pfizer Vaccine Deal: A €35 billion deal with Pfizer, shrouded in secrecy. Why are we not demanding transparency here?

• Refusing to Disclose Texts with Pfizer CEO: Transparency shouldn't be optional, especially in public health matters.

• EU Courts vs. Von der Leyen: EU courts have called her out for breaking the law. Why is this not a bigger deal?

• Piepergate: The controversy surrounding the EU Envoy is troubling and raises questions about integrity and accountability.

We deserve a leader who champions our rights as non-negotiable and upholds transparency as a fundamental duty, not one who treats our freedoms as expendable and accountability as an inconvenience.

What are your thoughts on this?

What will another five years of Von der Leyen bring us?

Sources:

Privacy:

European Digital Identity

Is eID Building Trust or Invading Privacy?

Heise Article about data retention (German)

Europol's Data Retention Critique

EDRi on the AI Act

Von der Leyen Rejects Criticism on Biometric Surveillance

Corruption:

PfizerGate Vaccine Scandal

EU's Top Court Rules Against the Commission

Politico on PfizerGate

Patrick Breyer on Digital Age Misunderstandings

Corporate Europe on Piepergate

Hello Everyone,

I'm thrilled to share that my public node, which has been running reliably since 2019, is now accessible via Clearnet and Tor through a new website launched at the start of this year.

As an individual contributor to our network, I've set up this node to support our community. You're welcome to connect to this community-run node if you're comfortable doing so.

One key feature of this website is that it doesn't use any JavaScript. This design choice enhances privacy and ensures compatibility with Tor.

However, I understand the importance of trust in the digital world. While I assure you of the integrity of this node, I also encourage those who prefer not to rely on third-party nodes to consider hosting their own. It's a great way to contribute to the network's decentralization and resilience.

Remember, the strength of our network lies in its users. Whether you choose to use my node, host your own, or simply participate in the network, you're playing a vital part in our community<3

CW: https://owl.lc

Tor: xmrowl7agi2g2qvlivwiv7d3wu6sjjxejjmoeecb2bh6ya4txkidd3id.onion

Hello, fellow privacy enthusiasts!

I've been on a journey to find a VPN provider that aligns with my privacy values, and I wanted to share my experiences and concerns here, hoping for some insights and recommendations.

Primary Criteria:

• Outside of the 14 Eyes: Ideally, I'd prefer a provider outside of the 14 Eyes intelligence-sharing countries.

• Accepts Monero: Given its the only real privacy coin there is, I'm keen on providers that accept Monero as a payment method.

• I need port forwarding for the services I host.

Current Options: I've considered Mullvad and IVPN, both of which I trust for their privacy focus. However, they recently disabled their port forwarding support, which I need since I host services from home. SPN by Safing sounds really interesting too but they also do not offer port forwarding sadly.

ProtonVPN seemed like a close alternative, but I've come across several red flags:

• Logging Concerns: ProtonMail, under the same parent company, provided IP logs in response to a Swiss court order. This contradicts ProtonVPN's claim on their website that "we can’t be obligated to start logging" under Swiss law.

• Use of Google Analytics: Despite being a privacy-focused service, ProtonMail has used Google Analytics on their website, raising questions about their commitment to user privacy.

• No Monero Support: Proton has not added Monero as a payment option, despite numerous requests from the community over the years.

Seeking Recommendations: Given the above, I'm reaching out for advice. Are there any VPN providers you'd recommend that fit my primary criteria? Or any insights into the concerns I've raised about ProtonVPN?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Hey Everyone!

I wanted to take a moment to highlight an artist from our community who's been doing some fantastic work - Sidarta. He's been creating crypto-themed art for a while now, and his pieces are truly unique. You can check out his work at sidarta.in.

Sidarta's art is a beautiful blend of traditional mediums like pencils, markers, watercolors, and acrylic on canvas, all tied together with the spirit of cryptocurrencies, particularly Monero. His work is a testament to the freedom and privacy that Monero stands for.

What's even cooler is that you can purchase his original pieces directly using XMR. It's all done in a truly decentralized manner, just like Monero itself. No middlemen, just peer-to-peer transactions.

I've known Sidarta for a few years now, and I can vouch for his authenticity and passion. He's not just an artist; he's a part of our community, a true believer in the power of Monero and the freedom it represents.

I've attached a few images of the pieces I own. Each one is a testament to the power of art and the spirit of freedom that Monero embodies.

So, if you're looking to add some unique pieces to your collection or simply want to explore the fascinating intersection of art and crypto, do check out Sidarta's work. And if you want to follow his journey, you can find him on Twitter @S1DARTA0.

Remember, "What you think, you become. What you feel, you attract. What you imagine, you create." Let's continue to imagine and create a world of freedom and innovation. <3 !Image !Image !Image