By Susie Violet Ward · City A.M. · 4 September 2023
Written as a City A.M. column in September 2023, the piece presents Nostr, short for Notes and Other Stuff Transmitted by Relays, as a way to restore the freedom associated with the early internet. Nostr does not rely on a central server, uses cryptographic keys and signatures to authenticate content, and lets users connect to multiple relays, which the column sees as making censorship-resistant social media practical.
The column highlights Nostr’s independence from any company, its avoidance of collecting personal data for advertisers, its open-source development and the ability for creators to receive tips, known as zaps, from followers. It contrasts this with Worldcoin, which uses iris scans and proposed a form of universal basic income, raising questions about linking sensitive biometric data to financial benefits, and suggests Nostr could also change advertising by letting users choose which advertisers pay for their attention.