Recently, a new protocol has been gaining attention in Bitcoin Twitter because of its revolutionary ability to decentralize social networks. The protocol is called Nostr and is the result of the work of a Brazilian, the developer who goes by the pseudonym fiatjaf. This protocol uses a system very similar to Bitcoin (BTC). For example, while BTC uses nodes to decentralize the network, Nostr has its “relays” that perform the same function. Furthermore, the system does not require any data from users who want to use it. Nostr’s first application was the creation of the Damus App, a kind of decentralized Twitter that uses the same BTC key system. That is, each user has a public key – which works like a username – and the private key which is the password for their account. The Brazilian Diego Kolling, creator of Noderunners Brasil, praised the initiative effusively in his account on twitter🇧🇷 “And a DECENTRALIZED social network is born “once and for all”! In it, I cannot be censured or knocked down – neither can you! I protect my content with the same technology that I protect my Bitcoin”, he said.
In Jack Dorsey’s sights
Nostr is called that because that name is short for the abbreviation of Notes and Other Stuff Transmitted by Relays. That is, “Notes and other things Transmitted by Relays”, in free translation. The word is also a reference to “nostro”, or “our” in Latin, and awakens the idea of a tool created by and for the entire community. Its creator, the pseudonym fiatjaf, is a Brazilian who currently works on the Lightning ZDB wallet, but who has developed several projects aimed at BTC. Therefore, someone who already has a huge amount of experience using the BTC blockchain. Through the protocol, it is possible to create several decentralized applications that are impossible to censor and that guarantee the privacy and security of users. That is, those who use Nostr applications can easily avoid sanctions or censorship imposed by states. And the service caught the attention of none other than Jack Dorsey, creator of Twitter and Block, who decided to bet on the project. Dorsey made a donation of 14 BTC, worth around BRL 1.28 million, to finance the development of Nostr. The donation was thanks to Koty Auditore, who took to Twitter to encourage Dorsey to fund Nostr. The creator of Twitter has posted his views on the need for a native internet protocol for social media in the past. Auditore, for his part, said that Nostr might interest him. Sure enough, Dorsey responded to the tweet two hours later, saying he was “figuring out how to donate.” Approximately 24 hours after that, he distributed funds to the fiatjaf developer.
How to use?
For now, Nostr’s main application is “decentralized Twitter”, a tool that allows you to create messages anonymously and without the need to expose your data. To use it, there are two ways. The first is to download the application called Damus App, but which is only available for iOS systems. Those who don’t have an iPhone can use the Astral Ninja website to register. When entering the site, the screen below will appear where you will have to generate your keys. The public key is your identity on the site and the private key gives you access to your account. Just click on the options “public key” or “private key” and then click on “generate”. Finally, click the “proceed” button to confirm.
Source: Astral Ninja. Then the screen will show your public and private keys to access the website. Keep them well, as with BTC, it is not possible to recover them in case of loss. Finally, just choose a username and make a brief description of your profile (up to 150 characters). You are now ready to use the network. If you want someone you know to start following you, just share your profile’s public key with that person.
