SimpleX Launches Channels and Governance Structure to Protect Freedom of Speech

SimpleX, the privacy-focused messaging platform, has announced three significant developments aimed at preserving freedom of speech through infrastructure that protects it by design. The v6.5 release introduces "SimpleX Channels," a new model for online publishing built for participation privacy, alongside plans for a SimpleX Network Consortium and a community crowdfunding initiative.

SimpleX Channels: Privacy-Public Publishing Balance

The new Channels feature represents a novel approach to public publishing that balances visibility with privacy. While channel content is visible to chat relay operators, the real identities of both channel owners and subscribers remain unknown to relay operators, each other, and the network at large.

"Channel content is visible to chat relays operators. And each channel uses multiple relays, so no single relay can block the channel," explains SimpleX. "But the real identities of channel owners and subscribers are unknown to relay operators, to each other, and to the network."

This approach flips the conventional model of online publishing. Instead of attempting to hide publicly available content from operators while exposing participants, SimpleX designed its protocols to protect people directly.

"Anybody can join a public channel via its link and see what is sent, but not who sent it, and not who else is reading," the team states. "This is win-win for both users and chat relays operators. Users' privacy is protected, operators can decide what content to deliver in public spaces, and anybody can run chat relays."

The implementation is made possible by SimpleX's core architecture, which was built without user profile identifiers of any kind.

"You can't add participation privacy to a network that identifies its users — as you can't add privacy to a messenger built on phone numbers," the team explains.

The v6.5 release marks the first beta version of channels, featuring:

• Channel owners holding their own channel keys
• Multiple relays per channel for reliability
• Ability for publishers to run their own chat relays
• Integration with the SimpleX Directory

Network Independence Through Consortium Structure

Recognizing that no single company should control protocols and networks that people depend on for free speech, SimpleX is establishing the SimpleX Network Consortium. This governance structure, launching within the next few months, will be an agreement between the new SimpleX Network Foundation and SimpleX Chat company.

"The Consortium will govern protocols and licensing — perpetual, irrevocable, surviving if any party is sold or shut down," the announcement explains. "Other organizations will join."

The board for the SimpleX Network Foundation is currently being formed, with Heather Meeker, who drafted the Consortium agreement, and several other individuals initially joining. The full board will be announced soon.

This structural approach aims to prevent the divergence of business and user interests that often plagues centralized platforms.

"As the power over the network protocols moves away from the company, it cannot move back," the team states. "It is a structural guarantee — the same principle we applied to privacy."

Community Crowdfunding for Sustainable Privacy

SimpleX acknowledges the challenges faced by open-source privacy-focused projects, which often die without funding or become captured by their sponsors.

"We've seen 'don't be evil' companies get lured off course by growth and board pressure," the team observes. "Neither pure ideology nor pure commerce survives the long run alone."

To address this, SimpleX is building both a governance structure and a sustainable business model. The governance protects network neutrality, while the commercial model funds the network and enables profitable businesses to operate on it.

"We're building both: a governance structure and a real business," explains SimpleX. "The governance protects the network neutrality. The commercial model funds the network and makes our and other businesses on the network profitable, ensuring their independence. Neither works without the other."

The recently published preliminary design outlines a commercial model using private Community Credits that fund servers, development, and governance without surveillance or speculation. The full investment case will be published when crowdfunding launches.

Interested parties can register their interest to participate in the crowdfunding at the SimpleX Typeform page. Updates about the initiative will be shared through a dedicated channel accessible via the v6.5 app.

SimpleX emphasizes that they are currently testing the waters for a possible Regulation CF offering and are not accepting any money at this stage.

The v6.5 release also includes improvements to the new user connection process, enhanced security for sending web links, and numerous other enhancements detailed in the release notes.

This comprehensive approach positions SimpleX not just as a messaging platform, but as an infrastructure provider committed to preserving freedom of speech through technically sound and sustainably funded solutions.