Small Update: When uploading images from the tor mirror, they are stored in the DB with the onion address. One workaround I’m currently applying is running a script periodically that updates image links. It looks like this:

UPDATE post SET url = REPLACE(url, 'http://your-hidden-address.onion', 'https://your-clear-domain.tld')

And btw all this is for version 0.18.3 (to avoid confusion in the future)

That’s an interesting question. At the time being, I think the only way is to do regular backups and store them at a friends for example. That way an instance can be restored after the server has been taken.

Really the only way is to not save anything, or perhaps some sort of blockchain for all the comments and posts?

Blockchain is an interesting thought - or maybe something similar to Matrix. All instances have their own copy of a post and sync with each other. That way it doesn’t matter if one instance disappears. Though, that would probably not comply with the Fediverse idea? Interesting thought experiment non the less!

I get your point. Then, why not start your own instance with rules that you approve? I know, easier said than done, but that’s the nice thing about the Fediverse. Next to the general purpose instances, there are many “themed” ones with focus groups such as musicians, journalists and so on.

You lying to yourself or have unfounded expectations.

Nobody mentioned any expectations hm…

Everything on Mastodon is in plain text, there is no encryption, and servers get mirrored.

That’s 100% correct, and I think it’s important to explain that to non-techy users.

It’s only the login info that stays with the instance […]

Technically yes, but I’d cut the “only” because login info includes the users email. So in case of a raid or data breach, I’d like to know about it.

The entire point of why Mastodon was ever started was censor evertbody that has the wrong opinion. Twitter wouldn’t delete people because of what they believe, so Mastodon was developed to ban IP address so only approved speech could exist on the internet as far as they are concerned and can avoid ackniwledging the real world. A high number of people on there, especially the admins, live in cult

I don’t know what places on Mastodon you’ve visited, but that’s not the point of Mastodon or the Fediverse in general at all. But we don’t have to start a discussion about that since you seem to already have made up your mind about it.

As far as I know they seize everything if there’s a warrant. No matter whether it’s relevant for said warrant.

Edit: Sorry, misunderstood your comment; Don’t know what the reason for the warrant was.