Why We Can't Be Taken Down

Unlike Internet Archive, we're built to survive legal attacks

Internet Archive vs Droplet Archive

Attack Vector Internet Archive Droplet Archive
DMCA Takedown ❌ Must comply - US-based entity ✅ No central entity to serve
Server Seizure ❌ Central servers in California ✅ 1000+ nodes globally
Domain Seizure ❌ Single domain (archive.org) ✅ IPFS + blockchain addresses
Legal Pressure ❌ Non-profit with board/employees ✅ Autonomous protocol
Content Modification ❌ Can be forced to edit/remove ✅ Cryptographically immutable
Financial Attack ❌ Relies on donations to one org ✅ Node operators self-fund

Our Decentralized Architecture

Layer 1: Content Capture

Browser Extension
API Endpoint
Command Line Tool

Layer 2: Processing

SHA-256 Hashing
Content Compression
Metadata Extraction

Layer 3: Distribution

IPFS Network
Arweave Storage
BitTorrent Seeds

Layer 4: Verification

Cardano Blockchain
Ethereum Contracts
Polygon Network

Legal Framework

🌍 Jurisdiction Arbitrage

Nodes operate in countries with strong data protection laws:

  • Switzerland (data haven laws)
  • Iceland (free speech protections)
  • Romania (EU data protection)
  • International waters (sealand model)

📜 Fair Use Defense

Archives qualify for fair use under:

  • Research and scholarship
  • News reporting
  • Commentary and criticism
  • Transformative use doctrine

🔐 Technical Immunity

Mathematical proofs can't be copyrighted:

  • SHA-256 hashes are facts
  • Blockchain records are public
  • Cryptographic proofs are math
  • No proprietary content stored

Attack Scenario Analysis

Scenario 1: Company sends DMCA to remove archived warranty page

🔴 Attack Vector

DeepCycle Systems lawyers send DMCA notice claiming copyright on warranty terms

🛡️ Our Defense

  • No central entity to receive DMCA notice
  • Content distributed across 1000+ IPFS nodes
  • Nodes in non-DMCA jurisdictions continue serving
  • Blockchain hashes remain as proof regardless

✅ Result

Archive remains accessible. Company must play whack-a-mole with 1000+ nodes globally.

Scenario 2: Government orders shutdown

🔴 Attack Vector

US government orders all US-based nodes to stop operations

🛡️ Our Defense

  • Nodes in 50+ countries continue operating
  • New nodes can spin up automatically
  • Blockchain records are immutable
  • Tor and I2P access points remain

✅ Result

US nodes go down, global network continues. Archive remains fully accessible.

Scenario 3: Coordinated global legal attack

🔴 Attack Vector

Multiple governments coordinate to ban the protocol

🛡️ Our Defense

  • Mathematical hashes can't be made illegal
  • Blockchain records already permanent
  • Source code is open and forkable
  • Community can rebuild from any single node

✅ Result

Even if banned, archives remain mathematically verifiable. Truth persists.

Live Network Status

Active Nodes

1,247
+89 this week

Countries

52
+3 this month

Total Archives

48,392
+2,847 this week

Data Stored

847 TB
+124 TB this month

Run Your Own Node

Help make the archive more resilient by running a node:

Docker (Easiest)

docker run -d \
  -p 4001:4001 \
  -v droplet:/data \
  droplet/node:latest
Setup Guide

Binary (Lightweight)

wget droplet.sh/install
chmod +x install
./install --type=light
Download

Source (Advanced)

git clone github.com/droplet/node
cd node && make install
droplet-node --start
GitHub

Common Questions

Q: Can't companies just DMCA the blockchain?

No. Blockchains are decentralized ledgers with no central authority. You'd need to convince thousands of independent validators across the world to remove data, which is technically impossible once confirmed.

Q: What about IPFS gateway takedowns?

We run our own gateways and provide direct IPFS hashes. Users can access content through any IPFS node or gateway worldwide, including their own local node.

Q: Isn't this just piracy with extra steps?

No. We archive publicly available web pages for accountability, not copyrighted content for distribution. This is about preserving evidence of corporate policy changes, not entertainment piracy.

Q: How is this different from blockchain scams?

We're using blockchain as a tool, not selling tokens. The technology provides immutable timestamps and decentralized storage - practical applications, not speculation.