Initially, Uniswap was a model for how censorship-resistant tools should be constructed, as they made their contracts immutable and published their web interface on IPFS. However, over time, the ethos of the team changed as VCs came in, followed by compliance.
This shift became evident with the introduction of a fee switch in Uniswap v2, the launch of the UNI token, and direct censorship in their UI. In this article, we take a look at how to avoid Uniswap surveillance and how we can use a fork of it called Horseswap
What is Horswap and How Does it Challenge Censorship?
Horswap, a rebranded version of the Uniswap UI, removes all rents, censorship, tracking, and third-party dependencies. It also omits any Uniswap trademark or branding. Accessible via IPFS/ENS at ipns://1.horswap.eth or through any browser at horswap.
Uniswap interface currently censors many users, leading to the deployment of an uncensored clone of the UI. Despite legal pressures and censorship attempts from Uniswap Lab’s lawyers on mirrors hosting the uncensored UI, it remains accessible via uncensorable platforms.
Despite multiple efforts to engage with Uniswap Labs and address the issues amicably, the responses from Uniswap were non-existent. The company did not engage through either social networks or formal processes, reflecting a significant shift from their original community-oriented ethos.
