WeTheNorth

PGP School · Lesson 1 of 13

What PGP actually does for a WeTheNorth visitor

PGP sounds technical, but for a visitor it does two simple jobs.

PGP basics · updated

1Job one: proving who wrote something

A PGP signature shows that a message, such as a list containing a we the north market mirror, was written by the holder of a specific key and has not been altered.

2Job two: keeping text private

Encrypting a message with someone's public key means only their private key can turn it back into readable text.

3Two keys, two roles

Your public key can be shared with anyone. Your private key never leaves your device and is protected by a passphrase.

4Why it matters here

Without signatures, anyone could claim to announce a new wethenorth market link. With them, you can check the claim yourself.

Lesson summary

PGP proves who wrote an announcement and keeps messages private; that is all a visitor needs from it.

Looking for the current address? See the WeTheNorth link status.