in short the risks of offchain are:
after depositing funds, one party in control of the funds can hold the funds to ransom by refusing signing unless terms are met.
this is a flaw all offchain concepts have yet to resolve. the only way to ensure ethical payments off chain. is if its always dual signed and both sides have value(collateral) to lose. that way it resolves the one sidedness aspect that can be abused
The user can close Lightning payment channels themselves, sending the BTC to their ultimate destination. They might forgo cheaper fees if they'd used the channel further, but it's not like the picture you paint, where the funds can be effectively confiscated by the Hub. You might want to do a little more of that researching you claim to be so on top of, or maybe just come up with a lie that's not so simply refuted. What Bitcache will be designed like, I don't know, but using it as a propaganda platform to disparage Lightning isn't going to fly. Lightning does what it does, no amount of weirdo explanations can change it.
ok ill highlight it for you
LN has dual signing... thus allowing as you say for the user to broadcast a settlement. if the second party ransoms them. to get out of the 'system' rather than paying up to the demand
BUT
LN should ensure the second party has some collateral too.. which will ensure both sides sign each new payment ethically. thus the user doesnt require broadcasting as soon as a second party tries to ransom them. because both parties continue to work together ethically due to both having something to lose if each side doesnt agree to sign a new payment.
EG - no ethics no collateral from ransomerfranky1 deposits 1btc to multisig 2AbC5...
carlton deposits 0btc to multisig 2AbC5...
2AbC5... contains 1btc (ethically meant for franky1)
franky1 require carlton to sign if franky1 wants his 1btc back.
carlton refuses to sign unless franky1 hands over 0.5btc.
they are deadlocked
carlton walks off never signing because he lost nothing and wants to screw franky1 over leaving funds locked hoping franky1 gives in later
now imagine - no ethics but with collateral from ransomerfranky1 deposits 1btc to multisig 2AbC5...
carlton deposits 1btc to multisig 2AbC5...
2AbC5... contains 2btc (ethically 1btc meant for franky1, 1btc meant for carlton)
franky1 require carlton to sign if franky1 wants his 1btc back.
carlton require franky1 to sign if carlton wants his 1btc back.
carlton refuses to sign unless franky1 hands over 1.5btc.
franky1 refuses to sign unless carlton hands over 1btc allowing carlton to have his 1btc.
they are deadlocked
eventually they sign 1btc each and stop communicating because carlton doesnt want to lose his 1btc. they stop trading/communicating
now imagine - ETHICAL and collateral from bothfranky1 deposits 1btc to multisig 2AbC5...
carlton deposits 1btc to multisig 2AbC5...
2AbC5... contains 2btc (ethically 1btc meant for franky1, 1btc meant for carlton)
franky1 require carlton to sign if franky1 wants his 1btc back.
carlton require franky1 to sign if carlton wants his 1btc back.
they agree fair payment for fair services/products
they continue communicating and trading for days, weeks months
thus dual signing allows trade, and collateral allows eventual agreement so both dont lose. ethics allows continual trading/communication
lastly you are trying to promote LN as a bug free, perfection right now. even though it has not been completed..
its like your promoting cars that can fly will never crash before one is even built.