SNOWDEN CHAMPIONS DECENTRALIZATION, CRITIQUES SOLANA’S VC-BACKED ROOTS
At Near’s Redacted event, Edward Snowden emphasized decentralization’s importance in countering AI-driven surveillance, criticizing Solana’s early dependence on venture capital (VC) funding.
Snowden labeled Solana “born in prison,” suggesting heavy VC backing could undermine a blockchain network’s autonomy.
He argued that VC influence, such as Andreessen Horowitz’s decisive vote against a Uniswap proposal, exemplifies how large stakeholders may control “decentralized” networks.
Snowden advocated open-source tools as a means of decentralizing control, encouraging listeners to adopt open-source models to maintain independence in tech spaces dominated by corporations.
