[freenet-support] Question

[Kevin S.]

Hello,

Im interested in using Freenet, but I have 2 questions.

"Users contribute to the network by giving bandwidth and a portion of their
hard drive (called the "data store") for storing files. Files are
automatically kept or deleted depending on how popular they are"

Can you elaborate on this? Does that mean someone can store whatever they
want on my HDD? How do I know its not something illegal?

Also, when using freenet, how do I know others cant see my real IP? Can you
describe?

Thank you

[Czery Swizier]

Anyone can store anything onto the network.
You do not know what is stored on your particular node since the data is
encrypted and distributed.
The entire goal of freenet is to provide storage such that
- you don't know who inserted files
- you don't know where the files are kept
- if you access a node, you cannot actually discover what files the node is
storing

This gives the ability to deny any wrongdoing!
This is much like how tor relay operators (NOT exit operators) can deny any
responsibility for the content that passes through their nodes.

In regards to your IP address question, people can see your IP since you
need it to connect to *other people* in an opennet at least..
If you don't want strangers to know your IP, you can choose darknet mode
which will only connect you to people you already trust.
If you are using an opennet, people will be able to tell you are using
freenet but as long as you are careful, no one can trace data to and from
you.

Post by Kevin S.
Hello,
Im interested in using Freenet, but I have 2 questions.
"Users contribute to the network by giving bandwidth and a portion of
their hard drive (called the "data store") for storing files. Files are
automatically kept or deleted depending on how popular they are"
Can you elaborate on this? Does that mean someone can store whatever they
want on my HDD? How do I know its not something illegal?
Also, when using freenet, how do I know others cant see my real IP? Can
you describe?
Thank you
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[Arne Babenhauserheide]

Post by Czery Swizier
Anyone can store anything onto the network.
You do not know what is stored on your particular node since the data is
encrypted and distributed.

And just as important: Files are encrypted and then split into small
chunks of 32KiB. These chunks cannot be decrypted by themselves. You
need the key for the file (which conveniently is just the link used to
access them).

So what’s on your disk are just small chunks of white noise which are
totally useless without the key. They cannot even be correlated to a
specific link without having the link in the first place.

Essentially your computer acts as part of a distributed caching proxy
server which cannot know what it caches. That’s how "the cloud" *should*
work (but typically does not).

Best wishes,
Arne