> That doesn't mean you can only choose between "anything goes" and "here's a list of government-approved algorithms, everything else is illegal". But it does m

> That doesn't mean you can only choose between "anything goes" and "here's a list of government-approved algorithms, everything else is illegal". But it does mean that instead of individuals developing tools and heuristics to protect themselves, the government should mandate the creation of such tools. I agree with almost everything you wrote in your comment (including this quoted paragraph), but still maintain it is paramount that power be decentralized as much as possible. Similarly, that doesn't mean the only choices are between "power is completely decentralized such that no entity has greater power than any other" and "power lies solely within one central entity". Instead, the power of any government, corporation or organization should be kept bounded, with strict, irremovable limitations. The exact method to achieve this goal remains somewhat elusive, but I think the largest prosperity happens in those instances when it was achieved. The trouble with solely relying on governments is scope creep. Seemingly inevitably the government eventually gravitates towards regulating more and more, until it is effectively prescribing an allowed list of algorithms, burdening the whole ecosystem in the process. You mention GDPR, but in order for the argument to stay balanced, in the same breath you should also mention Articles 11 and 13 of the EU Copyright Directive. I also consider it essential for individuals to take matters into their own hands in some degree. They absolutely should develop tools and heuristics that help achieve the goals they want. Should some of the burden be taken away from the individual, by codifying tried and true principles into law? Of course! As a closing thought, perhaps the model of the huge, centralized social network is ultimately a deeply flawed one and no amount of regulation can help it. Perhaps the end game is, once the average of all individual desires have been codified into law, that the traditional social network becomes economically non-viable. Centralizing all communication under a single large entity certainly sounds deeply wrong to me personally. And if it is so, the users will eventually realize this.