Translation: Blockchain in Vernacular
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has warned of a number of potential risks to technological freedom that could affect some of the core values of the crypto community.
In a blog post, Vitalik warned that encrypted messaging, centralized identity systems, and insecure operating systems are under political attack, while the power of a few social media platforms and dominant countries to censor and ban speech around the world is growing.
1. Encrypted messages face attacks
Buterin is first concerned about the growing political attacks on encrypted messaging. He believes that the right to private conversations is one of the fundamental rights and one of the core principles of the cypherpunk ethos that underpins the cryptocurrency movement. Governments around the world are escalating threats against messaging services, trying to weaken their encryption or add backdoors that could compromise user privacy.
2. Centralized identity and credit scoring
He further warned that the rise of centralized identity systems and credit scores would lead to a widespread erosion of individual autonomy. These systems are harmful because they concentrate power in the hands of a few entities, who can use them to monitor, control, and even discriminate against citizens based on their digital profiles.
3. Insecure operating systems and vulnerabilities
Another threat Buterin pointed out is that proprietary operating systems are riddled with vulnerabilities. He believes that the reason is that closed-source software is less secure and more easily exploited by various actors, including governments. Buterin believes that what is really needed is the large-scale adoption of open-source and auditable operating systems to avoid these risks.
The total cryptocurrency market cap is currently $2.2 trillion. Chart: TradingView
4. Social Media Censorship and Centralization
Vitalik warned of the increasing power of social media platforms to censor and take people offline at will, bending to the will of governments. He criticized the opaque and centralized nature of social media algorithms, which allow them to be used to shape information and public discourse.
Vitalik specifically expressed the view that the Internet has been controlled by powerful countries, which have created geopolitical chokepoints that could shut down individuals or organizations around the world. He believes that this trend undermines the decentralized, global nature of the Internet; it threatens individual freedoms and jeopardizes free speech and the right to access information.
5. Ethereum: Centralized AI and mind-reading technology
Finally, Vitalik warned that centralized AI and BCI technologies could be very dangerous if they fall into the wrong hands. The aforementioned technologies would allow for unprecedented surveillance, offline manipulation, and economic domination. Therefore, Buterin called for the development of decentralized, privacy-focused AI and BCI solutions to at least mitigate the risks.
Vitalik’s warning highlights the importance of defending technological freedom in the face of these emerging dangers. He believes that the crypto community needs to actively advocate for the values that gave rise to Bitcoin and Ethereum: privacy, decentralization, and individual autonomy.
