Cloudflare's Signed Agents System Criticized as Internet Gatekeeping
By
positiveblue
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Summary
The article criticizes Cloudflare's new "signed agents" system as a form of gatekeeping that threatens the open nature of the internet. It argues that requiring web builders to apply for permission through Cloudflare's allowlist system creates a centralized control point that contradicts the decentralized principles of the web. The author positions this as a vendor approval system rather than a true internet protocol, warning against allowing a single company to become a gatekeeper for web access.
Key quotes
· 4 pulledCloudflare's new "signed agents" pitch sounds like safety but it's a wolf in sheep's clothing
They've built an allowlist for the open web and told builders to apply for permission. That's not how the internet works
An allowlist run by ONE company? That's vendor approval not an internet protocol
Get on their list or get treated like a trespasser
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