XMPP Service Operators - 2021-09-16

I'm still seeing a big increase in registrations from Chinese users on my servers, it's definitely a growing trend and they're sticking around. Anyone know what's driving it? Seems to be a big mix of client software. I thought maybe one app might be catching on but doesn't appear so.

mike, I wonder if it could be folks looking for a channel of communication outside the purview of chinese authorities.

Oh almost certainly that's a factor I'm just wondering what triggered this wave, if something changed a month or two ago specifically or someone pushed some particular app.

How many users? Maybe it has grown organically through reccommendations. That's pretty interesting though

Have you spoken with any of them?

My daily concurrent on chinwag.im has tripled in the last two months, and there are a lot of obvious chinese names in the new regos. Yes, spoken as well as I can - not many English speaking folks in the mix. Enough to establish these are real people though, it's not a batch of bots or anything.

Do you know that they are from China? Or is it possible they are from Hong Kong or Taiwan?

I'd be curious to know if you ever get the story on it. Super interesting, and kind of a neat testament to the value of xmpp 🙂

Not 100% sure not but I believe China from some translations I've run. But I'm largely in the dark because of the language barrier still. I only had a few short chats because I've always added a default support MUC for new registrations. Most people leave it, but a few stick around.

Hmm, I'm really curious :b Also chinwag.im looks great! well done 🙂

mike: Interesting. The name 'chin-wag' could explain the _propotion_ of new Chin-ese registrations landing your server, but not the _increase_ in registrations.

mjk: I honestly don't think the name is that relevant. I suspect it's coming from clients that make random suggestions from 100% servers on the conversations compliance list.

Yeah, need more reg stats from other servers :)

I run zp1.net, i have the same issue. I first was a bit scared and i already prepared a script to geoblock china, but i recieved no complains about spam from other servers so i just watch it now. I see they abandon accounts after one use.

Some are pedantic and delete the account. So lets just sit back and watch :))

Epik got hacked.

Now I'm on a list or something.

What's epik? Do you have more context?

> What's epik? Do you have more context? Privacy-preserving domain registrar.

Epik.com

A registrar whose main selling point was to attract unsavory customers

> A registrar whose main selling point was to attract unsavory customers That's a false fact.

I live in Iran, and just epik had no restrictions for me to buy a domain with no "true identity" and crypto.

services like epik are essential to e.g. dissidents and whistleblowers

generalisations like "unsavory" aren't helpful

J5: I'm not saying it does not work for you, I'm saying that's what it was known for, far and large

andrath: OK, I wanted to avoid saying "epik was known for catering to Nazis and far-right conspiracy theorists", but that's it

so, anyone that relies on freedom of speech and privacy is far-right and a Nazi. Good to know.

That is not what I said

I suppose such services attract these different kind of groups.. Its also true for Tor.. Its used by people that really need it, used by people that just want privacy but don't depend on it. And used by criminals

all technology has malicious uses

But I encourage you to read their Wikipedia page and history with such things

wikipedia is not really a reliable source of truth, it can be edited by anyone.

It cannot, the epik page is locked 🥲

"The subject of this article is controversial and content may be in dispute. "

This seems true, since you are apparently in dispute, but everything seems sourced properly

(Also, tangentially and I'll stop because that is very off-topic already, there is no perfect reliable source of information, period, and people only say that about Wikipedia when they are unhappy with the content)

It's biased and written to discredit a company without really giving a valid justification. Read the talk page for that article

I tend to agree with this: "This article was clearly written with the intention of "shaming" Epik for providing services for websites the page owner GorillaWarfare doesn't like, e.g. Gab & Bitchute, and evidence for this can be seen in her comment on Intelliname's talkpage, where she says that: "If Epik would like its Wikipedia article to stop saying that they are known for providing services to various objectional groups, then perhaps it ought to focus on not making headlines for doing just that." This is not what a Wikipedia article should be used for."

> It cannot, the epik page is locked 🥲 He/she meant the "Wikipedia" itself is not reliable.

He, and yes

If there should be only one website left, I would choose Wikipedia 😀

it's a bad idea to rely on Wikipedia for opinion/politics, for scientific facts it's a good resource ✏

soooo

what wikipedia is good for and what not is definitely off topic here

please take it elsewhere

kthxbai

agreed

(and by "it" I mean the entire discussion beyond the notification that epik -- which is conceivably used by XMPP operators -- was hacked)

I heard it was anonymous that hacked them and leaked the data

their security seems to be laughable (really, md5 hashes in this day and age? godaddy accounts in plaintext?)

> I heard it was anonymous that hacked them and leaked the data andrath: Yes, but probably no

J5, state actor LARPing as anon?

> J5, state actor LARPing as anon? Maybe lib-lefts.

Is there more then wild speculations?

> Is there more then wild speculations? Not now, hacked files published today.

Mental Outlaw has a video about it on YT

So I suppose we don't need to discuss the gut feelings here until there is something, agreed?

leaked data is online

archive link: https://web.archive.org/web/20210914211232/https://4chan.partyvan.epikfail.win:55899/

J5, andrath, as I said, anything remotely political beyond the bare notification of the hack is off topic.

Consider this the last warning. ✏

jonas’: I haven't said anything political.

J5, I'm not going to be dragged into a meta-discussion here. Take the warning or leave it.

jonas’: Fine.

ack