I have a question but I don't know shit about technology so please bear with me and excuse my ignorance.

Is it possible to create an internet network that is entirely crowdsourced? Like instead of cell towers or satellites or huge undersea cables, it's just a bunch of people's personal devices all connecting to whatever other people's devices are nearby, creating a huge network allowing messages and information to sort of hop from device to device in order to get to wherever they need to be? Has that ever been tried or are we stuck with cell towers n shit henceforth

>>105837957 (OP)
Yep.
Not super knowledgeable about this stuff but in my decades of browsing here I've seen mention of meshnet or "anon net" type projects. It's possible and yes there are people who are passionate about this stuff and want to make it happen eventually
Look for threads about LorA devices and LorAWAN

>>105837957 (OP)
Ye, it's called P2P or Peer-to-Peer network.

Jack (previous owner of Twitter) is planning on making that by using bluetooth only, encrypted, 300 meters max radius called "Bitchat"

>>105838020
>bitch at
Why is it called this? Is it a pun? Like "bitch at me?"

>>105838040
>inb4 we've been here b4.

>>105839112
>2013
wtf how old is bitch@

The generic term for it is "mesh network" and it's brrn around since forever. In theory, it's a perfect tool to evade surveillance. In practice, nobody cares.

>>105840966
What if you're in North America and you want to talk to someone who's in Asia

>>105837957 (OP)
excuse me saar i have done the needful and answered your questioning saar

What You're Describing: Mesh Networking

A mesh network is a decentralized network where each device (a "node") connects directly to nearby devices. Data can hop from one node to the next until it reaches its destination. This can be purely peer-to-peer and doesn't necessarily rely on central infrastructure.
Has it been done before?

Yes — many times, in various forms:
1. Disaster recovery / emergency networks
Serval Project (Australia): Developed to provide mesh-based phone networks in disaster zones.

FireChat: Used Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to create ad-hoc mesh messaging during events like protests in Hong Kong (2014), where central internet access was restricted.

Briar (ongoing): A secure messaging app that works over Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or the internet. Designed for activists, journalists, etc.

2. Community networks
NYC Mesh: A community-run mesh network in New York City to provide affordable internet without going through ISPs.

Guifi.net (Spain): One of the largest mesh networks in the world with thousands of nodes, connecting rural communities.

3. Decentralized internet efforts
Althea: A crypto-powered mesh network where users can earn tokens by routing traffic for others.

RightMesh: Similar concept, using people's phones as nodes in a decentralized internet.

Helium Network: Although focused on IoT and crypto-mining, it’s a crowdsourced network with individual-owned hotspots instead of central towers.