Diaspora/Diaspora

Version 0.7.0.0 of diaspora* provides the first stage of account migration: you can now export all your data from the “Account” section of the user settings. Keep your data safely! In a future release you will be able to migrate your whole account, including posts and contacts, to another pod.

Can I download a copy of all of my data contained in my seed (account)?

Yes. At the bottom of the Account tab of your settings page you will find two buttons: one for downloading your data and one for downloading your photos.

How do I delete my seed (account)?

Go to the bottom of your settings page and click the “Close account” button. You will be asked to enter your password to complete the process. Remember, if you close your account, you will <strong>never</strong> be able to re-register your username on that pod.

How much of my information can my pod administrator see?

In short: everything. Communication between pods is always encrypted (using SSL and diaspora*’s own transport encryption), but the storage of data on pods is not encrypted. If they wanted to, the database administrator for your pod (usually the person running the pod) could access all your profile data and everything that you post (as is the case for most websites that store user data). This is why we give you the choice which pod you sign up to, so you can choose a pod whose admin you are happy to trust with your data. Running your own pod provides more privacy since you then control access to the database.

Can the administrators of other pods see my information?

Once you are sharing with someone on another pod, any posts you share with them and a copy of your profile data are stored (cached) on their pod, and are accessible to that pod’s database administrator. When you delete a post or profile data it is deleted from your pod and a delete request is sent to any other pods where it had previously been stored. Your images are never stored on any pod but your own; only links to them are transmitted to other pods.

Aspects

What is an aspect?

Aspects are the way you group your contacts on diaspora*. An aspect is one of the faces you show to the world. It might be who you are at work, or who you are to your family, or who you are to your friends in a club you belong to.

When I post to an aspect, who sees it?

If you make a limited post, it will only be visible to the people you had placed in that aspect (or aspects, if it is made to multiple aspects) before making the post. Contacts you have who aren’t in the aspect have no way of seeing the post. Limited posts will never be visible to anyone who you haven’t placed into one of your aspects.

Can I restrict the posts in my stream to just those from certain aspects?

Yes. Click “My aspects” in the side-bar and then click individual aspects in the list to select or deselect them. Only the posts by people in the selected aspects will appear in your stream.

Do my contacts know which aspects I have put them in?

No. They cannot see the name of the aspect under any circumstances.

If I remove someone from an aspect, or all of my aspects, are they notified of this?

No. They are also not notified if you add them to more aspects, when you are already sharing with them.