When it rains, it pours.
At the same time as Hurricane Ian decided to make life a challenge for Southwest Florida residents, the PayPal controversy erupted that blindsided the Treehouse.
As most of you know PayPal has been the primary processor for financial contributions to the Treehouse to help pay for a wide variety of site costs including server hosting, data processing and container costs, proprietary commenting systems, site engineers, software licensing fees etc.
As it directly relates to our conversation CTH has never had an issue with PayPal, even during our site deplatforming from WordPress/Automatic. However, that said, the initial terms of service changes that PayPal announced, then retracted, that begin November 1st was beyond ridiculous. It is not surprising that everyone was shocked at the proposed change in terms, and many want an alternative.
Moving forward, the critical issue for CTH extends beyond the actual processing of financial support and into the sphere of privacy. One of the reasons CTH costs so much to operate is the foundational stance we take on user engagement and privacy; it’s not something I can ever, or will ever, compromise upon.
Almost all funded websites contract payment and subscription services to third party providers. CTH does not like the security window this approach creates. If we need to switch financial processors, now is the time to use this opportunity to close any security vulnerability.
From the outset of the CTH 2.0 construction we began with the focus of keeping control over all data and site content. I am thankful for your support and the technology team that accepted the challenge two years ago. They worked tirelessly to create a discussion & research site where your participation is as secure as the site itself.
When CTH 2.0 was created there was a parallel emergency beacon created in the event that I was ever directly targeted because of the research content provided. The beacon system contains the ability to quickly crowdfund resources in my defense. However, with the PayPal issue now leading to numerous subscription cancellations, I have asked the tech team behind CTH to see if they can modify the preexisting emergency payment processing system to support the functions that are being handled by PayPal.
Again, the issue is a system that provides locked-down privacy. Not for my privacy, but for the privacy of those who participate and support CTH. The example of the donors to the Canadian Truckers being compromised when the GiveSendGo donor list was made public is an example of what I think about first and foremost. I cannot and will not allow that type of risk, therefore CTH requires stringent proprietary control.
I have been told there is a way to modify an existing payment processing system (provide me an encryption key, and only a transaction id for the contributor) that will eliminate any files, lists or registration identities of CTH contributors. The drawback is: (a) it’s expensive; and (b) I have to accept all legal liability for the transaction. After much forethought, I am going to accept that risk.
As a result, I have given the approval for the tech team to construct a proprietary financial system for CTH, and I anticipate it being completed within about 10 days (+/-) after beta test. Once active it is likely CTH will drop PayPal as a processor and proceed with our own proprietary system. Yes, it would be easier and more convenient to go with a third-party provider; however, speed and convenience is not my overriding priority – privacy is.
Additionally, I continue to remain STEADFAST in the belief that information should be free, open, accessible and transparent with citations for everyone. Everyone should be able to see the source data, review the interpretations and make their own decisions. In this era of information control, I consider CTH the opposite. The truth has no agenda.
I will provide updates and lots of information as soon as the payment processing system is live and tested. I will also share more details once things are ready. I am optimistic we will meet the deadline established to be complete before November 1st.
In the interim you do not have to have a PayPal account to use the PayPal processing system to support CTH – and your support is especially appreciated right now during these simultaneous challenges.
Our assembly is a fellowship. This website is a conversation. You are the important part.
I remain a faithful steward to the integrity of information you have come to expect. I will always work diligently to deserve your fellowship and support.
Love to all,
~ Sundance
~ Support CTH Here ~
GAB Social now has GAB PAY.
Maybe treehouse should talk with them.
I’m glad to hear about these changes as I am one of those that had some of their private info hacked during the Trucker’s protest. Pay Pal’s attempt to implement an egregious Trudeau type theft of people’s money caused me to rethink donating to CTH as PP’s actions demanded a major cancellation response by customers.
I stupidly used my main e-mail address for the Trucker’s protest which I don’t usually do for donations etc. and was forced to make a lot of changes to my main e-mail recipients including utility payment arrangements and much more.
I figured Pay Pal put CTH in a difficult situation and sundance would find the best alternative when possible. JWoo mentions some reasonable alternatives above but transferring funds directly out of a bank account rather than from a credit card account “seems to me” that it could be more damaging if hacked by a master hacker.
(Perfect picture supplements again)
Doesn’t Dan Bongino have his own payment processing system that he is advertising will replace PayPal?
Yes, It’s called Parallel Economy. I don’t know anything about it yet.
I do not trust Dan Bongino that much. He mostly speaks truth but avoids certain lines of reasoning and topics. Much like Tucker Carlson. So, I do not doubt either of their political/ideological stances or authenticity, but I do not expect the WHOLE truth from either of them.
Bongino is offering no cancelling, not privacy.
Who knows? Maybe Sundance can hook us up with BRICS Bucks instead of dollars so we can buy stuff directly from India ?!
LOL jK…maybe
I haven’t read all of the comments so excuse me if I am asking a question that’s already been posted, but what about sending donations through either personal checks or money orders, sent to a PO Box? I know of one business that accepts checks/money orders as the sole forms of payment. Please let us know if you have a PO Box that we can send checks to. Thank you for all you do!
That is risky for Sundance because it requires revelation of some personal information tied to the site. Similarly, your checks contain your banks routing number and your account number to the bank you use giving Sundance and any third party information that makes you vulnerable. As we move further into dystopia where government becomes ever more rogue and policing is weak, we must be ever vigilant to protect our information both location and financial.
I posted earlier on this thread but had to add my thanks to you Sundance for being a guardian of privacy. A sibling of mine knew how to look up the voter registration information of a cousin who recently passed away. This is in Florida. Also, one could read the voter registration information of every person on her street! Found out they were the only Democrat. Interesting but gives me the shivers.
Best wishes for the reboot of your payment system.
Listen to your shivers. The government has gone rogue and the status quo has changed. Hopefully, MAGA candidates will destroy RINOs and the Democrat party this midterm election. But, a lot can go south before, during and after. We must deal with reality as it is – our situation is precarious – the status quo of government behavior is long gone – the social contract is broken. It is not clear yet whether any strands of our former republic and its constitution will survive much longer.
Candace Owens just mentioned she uses GloriFi instead of “the pal”. Idk much about it yet. But maybe that would be an option for you?
I’m creeped out by Paypal, but I just used it because a world without the Treehouse isn’t livable.
HyacinthClare,
T and sundance — 100%
PP — 98.5%
I have nothing against snail mail but I hope CTH finds an alternative so he can receive our dono’s immediately. Sure helps with a budget to know where you stand day to day when that’s how your income is received like it was with PayPal.
Your paymaster could be evil…?
As always Sundance, thank you for standing firm on your beliefs.
Long past time you switch to Gab and Gabpay.
They are the only group with their own infrastructure,who say the constitution is their terms-of-service
Thank you Sundance for looking out for our privacy and continuing to broadcast truth against all odds.
My bank offers zelle for person to person transfer of money using an email address. I can send a donation to you via your email address if you are regestered with zelle. Zelle is free to use and costs nothing. If your bank offers zelle money transfers most likely you can also send or receive money for free. I could send you a donation via zelle via my bank if sundance had an email account associated with zelle.
This could be another way for the conservative treehouse to receive donations.
I took my bank account information off of paypal. I only have a paypal card account with no bank account associated with paypal.
Paypal is in fact doing what a cbdc, central bank digital currency system will do.
That is take money out of your account without your consent.
In paypal’s case it if for punishing you for using your 1st amendment right to free speech.
I won’t be using paypal anymore because I post comments on that palypal would consider a violation of their terms and fine me $1,500 per violation.
This must be illegal?
Another aspect of paypal fines is to effectively control what companies put on their websites concerning social issues paypal agrees with.
If paypay wants to censor a company website that uses paypal just one fine would force them to let paypal be their shadow editor and cancel any and all oppostion to the perversion paypal wants to promote but in a hidden way.
Its a stealth way to control free speech on business websites.
Has anybody considered this?
It’s not stealth. The public threat has probably already chilled the speech of many who are stuck with Paypal right now.
You might want to investigate this site. It seems to be legit.
https://wise.com/
SD, perhaps you can offer your payment solution to other publishers, once it’s complete? We need a parallel economy, and you can help realize that dream and make money doing it.
Folks, while I applaud TCTH’s efforts for contributions to remain anonymous, you just can’t do it as long as you are dealing with credit/debit cards. At some point in the transaction, the credit card number (with which it is relatively easy to determine identity) must be linked to TCTH/Sundance. Unless one uses a money laundering scheme. The REAL solution is to take back our country.
While everyone’s advise might be well intended,
I’m pretty Damn sure Sundance has got this. …
Thank you for all you do friend.
God bless