Blog
Notes from the team
Privacy, self-hosting, and what it actually takes to own your digital life. New posts whenever we have something worth saying.
- cloudArkCentral
What happens to your data when a cloud service shuts down
Services get discontinued, acquired, or quietly change their terms all the time. If your files live there, here is what you are actually exposed to.
Francis YuMay 28, 2026Read → - familiesArkCentral
Private family chat without Big Tech, and how it actually works
You can have group chats, shared photos, and the everyday feel of a normal messenger without any of it touching a third-party server. Here is the plain-English version.
Francis YuMay 22, 2026Read → - privacyArkCentral
The hidden cost of free cloud storage
Free storage is not free. You pay with the thing being stored. A look at what the bill actually is, and why it keeps going up.
Francis YuMay 14, 2026Read → - familiesArkCentral
5 ways to take your family off the cloud
There is more than one way to stop renting your family’s digital life. Here are five real options, with honest trade-offs, starting with the one we built.
Francis YuMay 5, 2026Read → - journalismArkCentral
How journalists’ sources get exposed, and how to stop it
A source rarely gets burned by a dramatic hack. It usually happens through ordinary tools and ordinary metadata. Here is where the leaks come from.
Francis YuApr 23, 2026Read → - privacyArkCentral
What Big Tech actually does with your family photos and messages
The photos and chats on your phone feel private. Here is where the copies actually go once they leave your device, and what gets done with them.
Francis YuApr 9, 2026Read →