The concept of "digital sovereignty" is often discussed in the context of nation-states and their control over data and digital infrastructure. However, a recent post by @astrra.space on Bluesky raises a more granular, and perhaps more empowering, interpretation of this idea: the right of the individual to not only own their data, but to fully own and control the software they use.
The post suggests a radical form of user agency: "the easiest way to maintain your software is just to RE it and maintain it yourself." This is not merely a call for open-source software, but a declaration of the user's right to disassemble, understand, and modify the black boxes that govern so much of our digital lives.
This approach challenges the dominant model of software as a service (SaaS), where users are granted temporary access to a service, with little to no control over its functionality or longevity. When a SaaS provider decides to shut down a service, or to alter it in a way that is detrimental to its users, the users have no recourse. Their data may be lost, their workflows disrupted, and their digital lives thrown into disarray.
Reverse engineering, in this context, becomes an act of digital preservation and self-determination. It is a way of asserting ownership over one's digital tools, and of ensuring their continued existence and utility, independent of the whims of their creators. It is a declaration that the user is not a passive consumer, but an active participant in the digital world, with the right to shape their own digital destiny.
Of course, this is not a path for the faint of heart. It requires a high degree of technical skill and a willingness to delve into the arcane world of binary code. But as @astrra.space's post suggests, it may be the only way to truly achieve digital sovereignty in an age of centralized control and planned obsolescence. It is a reminder that the digital world is not a given, but a constructed reality, and that we have the power to deconstruct and reconstruct it to better serve our needs.