Cloudflare's proxy model solved immediate security and reliability problems but created a lasting tension between service stability and user choice. Like old te

Cloudflare's proxy model solved immediate security and reliability problems but created a lasting tension between service stability and user choice. Like old telecom networks that restricted equipment, Cloudflare's approach favors their paying customers' needs over end-user freedom, particularly in browser choice. While this ensures predictable revenue and service quality, it echoes historical patterns where infrastructure standardization both enables and constrains.