So, back in 2015, there were multiple groups creating encrypted, anonymizing networks (many of which are still in operation today): #I2P, #Tor, #GNU, #Namecoin.
They went to the #IETF to standardize how browsers would handle their special top-level domains.
(I warned you this was nerdy).
The idea here was that if a user typed domain.i2p or domain.onion into a browser, the browser would leak that request to search engines or DNS servers.
2/🧵
The various groups were working together, even though there were some socio-technical rivalries among them. For example, people representing Tor said I2P's documentation sucked. I2P thought Tor's domain name system was poorly conceived. That sort of thing.
But they all had common cause: prevent this obscure privacy problem.
Then #Meta (at that time, #Facebook) showed up.
🧵 /3