These last few weeks I have been following through with some ideas. These ideas involve technology and the internet. The idea was to create a secure platform for myself and others in order to communicate. To foster the growth of Buddhism.
As a monk this is perhaps not the ‘Right’ direction. The internet can realistically provide an intellectual experience. Ajahn G (that’s me) is planning on leaving behind a platform that can help supporters, friends and family communicate in a Buddhist environment ‘online’.
For a limited time focus on creating these platforms is in effect. I need now to report some findings. The internet is not private in anyway.
Let me explain. First the Lord Buddha… “The Truth cannot remain hidden”. I have found that whatever service there is in telecommunications there is a storage facility keeping record. Keeping record of all communications. Whether it be text, voice, video or mostly anything else that involves the employment of these services.
In practice (at the very least) let’s not fool ourselves. I’ll give you an example. The shared server Mark aka Otomo and I use to host Buddhists for Truth and Buddhist café has opened my eyes. Every single private message whether deleted or not remains stored in a file for anyone to see.
Ajahn Giorgio is not an IT expert. Imagine what the experts can view? Whatever one employs such as an app, website, phone service, banking service, credit card transaction et al the information is stored for anyone to see.
The Lord Buddha said (as stated earlier) “The Truth cannot remain hidden” how correct and on point this Dhamma is.
Whatever we do. In the dark. In the shadows. Someone will know. The Buddha spoke about “Do in private as you do in public. Do in public as you do in private”. This is a Protection.
Now the data collection aspects of this site and Buddhist café is something that I am not comfortable with. Working on a solution. Just imagine now, what the information app providers, phone SIM etc collect and store?
It seems. Looks like. The old out of style seclusion is not so out of style. It seems. It looks. The upright practice (at least at the technological level) is to create or use platforms that are honest. Not mischievious.
A tool can be used to do good things or bad things. A knife is a good example. My conviction is that Buddhism needs platforms on the internet. Most of us have been using the mischievious platforms. In the name of ‘free’ use. The Gab platform is doing an upright job.
The question is ‘Who is viewing the stored data?’. What is done with it? The temptation. The power I.e having possession of data from private communications is seducing. This is what I wanted to share.
In brief. Beware. Be aware. A real solution? Let’s at least start by knowing and understanding how the things we use – work.
The one big reason I have created these two websites? I have support from people in different countries. Now however it seems I have stepped on a grenade. In the name of doing something constructive. Time to head back to the mountains.
Anumodana. We are working on steering our two websites in the direction of wholesome activity. From the user side to the data collection side. A website or any communications device has to store data. We need a solution.
Metta.
