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I expect the idea is less to prevent any possible threat and is more a) to comply with regulations and b) to log enough data so if somebody does circumvent your legally required measures, they've left enough of a trail to hang themselves.


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It's to keep sensitive information from falling into the wrong hands.

I believe it's also a security measure.

Probably to make it safe/inoffensive as a tool for companies to use.

I figured it was to help them track users.

Probably as a deterrent for very meaningful IP theft, and/or enforcement of existing laws and their punishments.

The idea is to stop them from suspecting that you even have it in your possession.

It's to track crimes associated with burner sims.

* Not trying to justify it either direction.


In theory it's to reduce information for bad actors, but we know in practice it never really works this way.

Don't send people on a goose chase because you're obscuring details for "security."


I believe the idea is to ensure no one can use the listing to brute force.

I'm not sure what deliverables you're referring to, but if it's not useful for shielding one's identity from prosecutors/persecutors, why would spies, grifters, traffickers, terrorists, child abusers, and puppy-kickers make such extensive use of it?

So that actual bad guys don't get it and use it for what could be incredibly sophisticated and damaging things.

The purpose is to document the bizarre (and oftentimes outright creepy and/or illegal) behavior of the terminally online. You know, stuff like helping your friend sell his bathtub brewed hormones to minors without their parents finding out. Or running a Discord server called Catboy Ranch that has several minors on it, and you send them personalized collars that declare them your property. Just ordinary, innocent stuff that is no one else's business, clearly.

To prevent examination of secret stuff like surveillance, backdoors, etc.

"If you don't know what the product is, the product is you."


Well, it’s surprisingly effective at preventing things like scams and phishing, and also guarantees a paper trail.

It wouldn’t be on my list of reasons to leave a country.


It would provide pretty useful evidence in court at the least. It’s also a potential deterrent.

to ensure or assure no foul play and to keep stats of what's killing us and sometimes try to mitigate those things.

Likely it exists for reasons of law enforcement and/or corporate data hunger, framed as policies promoting aspects of "safety" and/or "efficiency of the market".

I would imagine that it is there in order to protect themselves if someone uses their tool for malicious purposes as they can point to that statement and say they were not complicit.

plus it'll cut down on that pesky paper trail of communication if engaging in illegal acts.
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