Modifications and Deletions of xLog#
DIYGOD is the best#
In my previous article (the last article Introduction to xLog Decentralized Blogging - qyfff), I mentioned that if an article on xLog is modified, the previous version still exists. This article serves to verify that.
At the end of the article, we can see the information below; the IPFS address indicates the specific location where the article is stored. As long as there is the string of characters at the end of ipfs:// (which is the IPFS cid), it can be used to find this article on the IPFS server. This article is an introduction to xLog decentralized blogging.
By clicking this address directly, we can see that the actual address it redirects to is the one below:
https://ipfs.crossbell.io/ipfs/QmZVEFwEw6JDTxMVvU9UENKSqoaNPbHTGRP98XxzQnttYF
The preceding content (ipfs.crossbell.io/ipfs/) is the IPFS gateway of crossbell, and by adding the cid from the internal server, we can access it. We can replace the cid with another cid, for example:
https://ipfs.crossbell.io/ipfs/bafkreigs7i4cdt4lhwvwm7ngdxr32wsw7xtyfrkdxyfg5l2xonufojxfoa
DIYGOD is the best, right? :）
You can also use other IPFS gateways instead of crossbell's gateway; as long as the cid is correct, you can access the resources you need. For instance, using the ipfs.io gateway, we can still access this modified article:
https://ipfs.io/ipfs/QmZVEFwEw6JDTxMVvU9UENKSqoaNPbHTGRP98XxzQnttYF
Next, let's verify the modifications#
Still using the introduction to xLog decentralized blogging, after modification, I obtained a new cid (I only changed a word or two and the last few sentences; the new article ends with "most upstream," while the old article does not).
https://ipfs.crossbell.io/ipfs/Qma9BJNv3pgKB5m38jUXw6Bw2NiCJzMN4TVoUGG6VA8z9P
When we access the old IPFS link, the old article still exists. This verifies the viewpoint that after an article is modified, the previous version still exists.
During the verification process, I found that updates can be a bit slow; switching from one article to another, the IPFS and other information below still reflects the previous content. However, it is not particularly slow and is acceptable.
IPFS Deletion#
So, if an article is deleted, can it still exist? I prepared a small article.
At the time of the screenshot, only 1175 blocks were confirmed, and the IPFS link is:
https://ipfs.crossbell.io/ipfs/QmUkUbRu6B2PPLytkkR65i9B2CjiPcY83MSWDJApSFHbys
I proceeded to delete it, which also triggered an on-chain transaction.
This article will be used for deletion - qyfff
After deletion, this article disappeared from my dashboard, and after refreshing my homepage, this article was gone. The article link can still be opened and even commented on.
It's a strange deletion mechanism; after deletion, the link should also be untraceable. Could it be that the file is still in the cache system? But at least the IPFS link can be opened smoothly.
Review#
I have returned to the topic of the review mechanism. (The last article was Introduction to xLog Decentralized Blogging - qyfff)
So far, xLog does not have a complete review mechanism, at least not a comprehensive ability to take down content. It can remove articles from users' homepages and should also be able to remove them from the community recommendation system. However, the original article link still exists (at least it exists while I am writing this; it is unclear if it will be deleted after some time), and comments can still be made. I am curious about this deletion mechanism; it may also involve the NFT destruction mechanism?
It is still uncertain and requires further research; I will study it further later.
But at least one thing needs to be noted: xLog's deletion does not remove content from IPFS. From what I currently understand, each node on IPFS can independently decide whether to delete resources on its node. This means that this content can only be truly deleted from the IPFS system if you can find all the nodes and delete it from each one. To draw a comparison, it's like Voldemort's Horcruxes; we can at least know how many Horcruxes Voldemort has, but here, we do not know how many IPFS nodes are storing our file. As long as someone accesses your file, there is a possibility that more IPFS nodes will store your file.
I have learned that if a file is stored on IPFS for too long or if payment to continue storage is not made, IPFS may delete that file. Additionally, these files are stored in plaintext, which may also pose some issues.
The most important point is that the platform cannot delete the content you publish, and you also cannot delete the content you publish.
I consider this a disadvantage. Censorship is an issue everywhere, and undesirable remarks are not conducive to the platform's development. To some extent, it can also be seen as a feature; when everyone is fully aware of this characteristic of the xLog platform, perhaps discussions will be more rigorous?
I hope to receive criticism and corrections.