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# Codeberg's Attack on Transparency and on Cloudflare Opposition # Codeberg's Attack on Transparency and on Cloudflare Opposition
Codeberg hosted the [Crimeflare](http://crimeflare.eu.org)'s `Cloudflare-Tor` (CFT) project. Codeberg hosted the [Crimeflare](http://crimeflare.eu.org)'s `Cloudflare-Tor` project.
In April 2021, Codeberg took down the project alleging libel. In April 2021, Codeberg took down the project alleging libel.
## What the Cloudflare-Tor (CFT) project is ## What the deCloudflare project is
The CFT project is a non-profit charitable effort to The [deCloudflare project](http://crimeflare.eu.org) ("dCF", formerly "Cloudflare-Tor") is a non-profit charitable effort to
promote decentralization, network neutrality, and privacy with promote decentralization, network neutrality, and privacy with
[Cloudflare](../README.md) (a top adversary of that cause) as the core focus. [Cloudflare](../README.md) (a top adversary of that cause) as the core focus.
CFT project provides a variety of free software tools to help protect the dCF project provides a variety of free software tools to help protect the
general public from Cloudflare. general public from Cloudflare.
An important component of protecting the community from Cloudflare is An important component of protecting the community from Cloudflare is
documenting websites that subject people to the harms of Cloudflare by documenting websites that subject people to the harms of Cloudflare by
maintaining a [massive list](../cloudflare_users/domains) of websites to avoid. maintaining a [massive list](../cloudflare_users/domains) of websites to avoid.
Unlike other tech giant adversaries to the CFT cause such as [GAFAM](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GAFAM) Unlike other tech giant adversaries to the dCF cause such as [GAFAM](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GAFAM)
(Google, Amazon, Facebook, Apple and Microsoft), Cloudflare operates (Google, Amazon, Facebook, Apple and Microsoft), Cloudflare operates
surreptitiously and largely unknown to the general public, despite surreptitiously and largely unknown to the general public, despite
having access to ~20-30%+ of the world's web traffic and 80%+ of CDN having access to ~20-30%+ of the world's web traffic and 80%+ of CDN
@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ Some privacy and ethical advice sites like "Switching Software"
actually *recommend* Cloudflare sites to those who entrust them to actually *recommend* Cloudflare sites to those who entrust them to
give advice pursuant to their own stated purpose. give advice pursuant to their own stated purpose.
The problem is so [rampant](../PEOPLE.md) that it became important for the CFT The problem is so [rampant](../PEOPLE.md) that it became important for the dCF
project's tracking of the Cloudflare problem to start keeping track of project's tracking of the Cloudflare problem to start keeping track of
organizations and the pseudo-anonymous aliases of representatives who organizations and the pseudo-anonymous aliases of representatives who
were spotted publicly promoting Cloudflare. were spotted publicly promoting Cloudflare.
@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ were spotted publicly promoting Cloudflare.
After someone After someone
[on Codeberg's staff](https://web.archive.org/web/20210414001524/https://codeberg.org/shadow/SpywareWatchdog/issues/77#issuecomment-188105) [on Codeberg's staff](https://web.archive.org/web/20210414001524/https://codeberg.org/shadow/SpywareWatchdog/issues/77#issuecomment-188105)
was added to the Cloudflare supporter list, Codeberg shut down the CFT was added to the Cloudflare supporter list, Codeberg shut down the dCF
project and issued project and issued
[this statement](https://web.archive.org/web/20210414001651/https://codeberg.org/Codeberg/Community/issues/423#issuecomment-187783) [this statement](https://web.archive.org/web/20210414001651/https://codeberg.org/Codeberg/Community/issues/423#issuecomment-187783)
to contributors, and posted to contributors, and posted
@ -53,11 +53,11 @@ allegedly in response to complaints.
> social media identities, > social media identities,
Calling it a "`target list`" entails a presumption of *how* the list is Calling it a "`target list`" entails a presumption of *how* the list is
used. For example, if a threat actor wants to join the CFT project to used. For example, if a threat actor wants to join the dCF project to
gain access to our internal operations, it is not CFT targeting them gain access to our internal operations, it is not dCF targeting them
but rather CFT *avoiding* being targeted by their adversary. CFT has but rather dCF *avoiding* being targeted by their adversary. dCF has
been attacked several times and sometimes at the hands of insiders who been attacked several times and sometimes at the hands of insiders who
gained trust by posing as those who support the CFT cause. gained trust by posing as those who support the dCF cause.
Transparency is essential in exposing the corporate bias behind the Transparency is essential in exposing the corporate bias behind the
information and advice you are getting. For example, a forum for talk information and advice you are getting. For example, a forum for talk
@ -73,8 +73,8 @@ Are forums hosted in Germany really forced to operate
non-transparently and conceal such conflicts of interest from the non-transparently and conceal such conflicts of interest from the
public? *Unlikely*. public? *Unlikely*.
For Codeberg to allege CFT tracks "`personal data`" with social media For Codeberg to allege dCF tracks "`personal data`" with social media
identities is perversely deceptive. CFT did not track personal data identities is perversely deceptive. dCF did not track personal data
or dox any social media identities. The social media identities were or dox any social media identities. The social media identities were
listed and only *public* data was shared -- data that is already listed and only *public* data was shared -- data that is already
public on platforms like Twitter. Personally identifiable information public on platforms like Twitter. Personally identifiable information
@ -115,15 +115,15 @@ temporary and non-destructive of the artifacts.
> privacy violation and leaking proprietary information. > privacy violation and leaking proprietary information.
This is just a statement of Codeberg's interpretation of law. Note This is just a statement of Codeberg's interpretation of law. Note
that Codeberg does not accuse CFT of this, as doing so would be libel that Codeberg does not accuse dCF of this, as doing so would be libel
against CFT. So it's unclear what purpose this statement serves other against dCF. So it's unclear what purpose this statement serves other
than to imply an accusation without stating it. Such weasel wording than to imply an accusation without stating it. Such weasel wording
is designed to *deceive* the public while dodging legal accountability. is designed to *deceive* the public while dodging legal accountability.
> - Considering reports we received, a significant number of claims and > - Considering reports we received, a significant number of claims and
> statements were factually false. > statements were factually false.
CFT has received only **one** complaint. It involved one social media dCF has received only **one** complaint. It involved one social media
alias that was listed and it turned out to be a misunderstanding alias that was listed and it turned out to be a misunderstanding
surrounding the word "`support`". The listed party claimed to not surrounding the word "`support`". The listed party claimed to not
personally condone Cloudflare and thus claimed to not be a Cloudflare personally condone Cloudflare and thus claimed to not be a Cloudflare
@ -173,18 +173,18 @@ Once you share your information publicly, you can't control them anymore.
> their social media accounts and allegedly blamed as Cloudflare > their social media accounts and allegedly blamed as Cloudflare
> supporters without an evidence > supporters without an evidence
CFT was *never asked* for evidence. Only *one complaint* was received. dCF was *never asked* for evidence. Only *one complaint* was received.
It was investigated and evidence was *provided* to the subject. It was investigated and evidence was *provided* to the subject.
> We started a discussion with the maintainers of this repository and > We started a discussion with the maintainers of this repository and
> asked to remove these sensitive information, that are apparently for > asked to remove these sensitive information, that are apparently for
> **shaming** people (**defamation**), > **shaming** people (**defamation**),
CFT did not "`shame`" or "`defame`" anyone, and no evidence was given to dCF did not "`shame`" or "`defame`" anyone, and no evidence was given to
that effect. Codeberg admitted earlier that their assumption is that that effect. Codeberg admitted earlier that their assumption is that
a list of Cloudflare supporters inherently shames people. Yet the a list of Cloudflare supporters inherently shames people. Yet the
list is objective. It's for the reader to decide if the list is of list is objective. It's for the reader to decide if the list is of
shame or of pride. No value judgment was expressed by the CFT shame or of pride. No value judgment was expressed by the dCF
project. project.
> According to GDPR, we are obligued to remove sensitive user > According to GDPR, we are obligued to remove sensitive user
@ -205,16 +205,16 @@ processing of such anonymous information, including for statistical or
research purposes. research purposes.
``` ```
CFT's [Cloudflare supporter list](../cloudflare_users/cloudflare_supporter.md) did not contain real names; only dCF's [Cloudflare supporter list](../cloudflare_users/cloudflare_supporter.md) did not contain real names; only
pseudoanonymous aliases. pseudoanonymous aliases.
The listed alias of the subject who complained did not use an alias The listed alias of the subject who complained did not use an alias
formed like "*firstName_lastName*", or any form that could reasonably formed like "*firstName_lastName*", or any form that could reasonably
identify a natural individual person. identify a natural individual person.
The sole complaint CFT received lead to an investigation that found The sole complaint dCF received lead to an investigation that found
the data **accurate**. Even though the GDPR right to be forgotten does the data **accurate**. Even though the GDPR right to be forgotten does
not have force in that case, it was *removed* anyway and therefore CFT not have force in that case, it was *removed* anyway and therefore dCF
was (and remains) in compliance with the GDPR right to be forgotten. was (and remains) in compliance with the GDPR right to be forgotten.
Yet Codeberg still removed the project *despite* immediate compliance. Yet Codeberg still removed the project *despite* immediate compliance.
@ -231,20 +231,20 @@ their employees, so it's already *public* information.
> Cloudflare-supporters, but critical opponents of this company, and > Cloudflare-supporters, but critical opponents of this company, and
> thus could not even imagine a reason for being listed there. > thus could not even imagine a reason for being listed there.
CFT only received *one* complaint regarding *one* individual. CFT has dCF only received *one* complaint regarding *one* individual. dCF has
*continously* been in GDPR compliance at *all times*. Codeberg destroyed *continously* been in GDPR compliance at *all times*. Codeberg destroyed
the repository anyway. the repository anyway.
"`Support`" comes in many forms. You can support Cloudflare by "`Support`" comes in many forms. You can support Cloudflare by
praising it, or you can support Cloudflare through actions (which may praising it, or you can support Cloudflare through actions (which may
even be unwitting to the supporter). In the one case that CFT even be unwitting to the supporter). In the one case that dCF
investigated, the subject's understanding narrowly assumed "support" investigated, the subject's understanding narrowly assumed "support"
was limited to philosophical praise. was limited to philosophical praise.
> We can not accept anyone attacking and threatening us and our users > We can not accept anyone attacking and threatening us and our users
> (or anyone for that matter), or inciting others to do so. > (or anyone for that matter), or inciting others to do so.
This is weasel wording, as directly accusing CFT of attacking or This is weasel wording, as directly accusing dCF of attacking or
threatening Cloudflare supporters would constitute libel on the part threatening Cloudflare supporters would constitute libel on the part
of Codeberg. So they try to *imply* it. These claims can only be of Codeberg. So they try to *imply* it. These claims can only be
ignored in the absence of evidence. ignored in the absence of evidence.