Nice, but. You got signal 101 here, so good luck.
Signal adds a payments feature with a privacy-focused cryptocurrency
611–620 of 665 posts
Re: Signal adds a payments feature with a privacy-focused cryptocurrency
#612The comment from the article echos my own sentiments: > Speaking solely as a person who is really into encrypted messaging, it terrifies me that they're going to take this really clean story of an encrypted messenger and mix it up with the nightmare of laws and regulations and vulnerability that is cryptocurrency. Moreover, there are three other points I'd add: 1. I don't like "do everything" apps like WeChat or Line…
I do not believe dev is relevant here, Sir. Let's dare to be different<3
Re: Signal adds a payments feature with a privacy-focused cryptocurrency
#613Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Early in Signal's development they would add privacy features. Lately they have been adding social features. This is intentional and relates to Signal's growth in the past few years. It's not "a hacker tool for nerds" it's "a friendly, easy to use chat app with stickers & voice messages (also strong encryption)." IRC does one thing and does it well, and barely anyone uses it. The "clean technical vision" story isn'…
I love IRC but saying the IRC protocol does anything well (or is even a documented and agreed-upon protocol) is a bit of a stretch. Otherwise, agree with the thrust of your statement. I believe getting Signal into the hands of more users is an overall net good and if stickers are the answer then get to making some stickers.
Yes, Sir.
Re: Signal adds a payments feature with a privacy-focused cryptocurrency
#614The comment from the article echos my own sentiments: > Speaking solely as a person who is really into encrypted messaging, it terrifies me that they're going to take this really clean story of an encrypted messenger and mix it up with the nightmare of laws and regulations and vulnerability that is cryptocurrency. Moreover, there are three other points I'd add: 1. I don't like "do everything" apps like WeChat or Line…
Amen to all your points. I find this really disappointing. The "yeah, but they are a non-profit so you can be assured they are good custodians of the product" no longer goes for me.
Respectfully disagree, Sir.
Re: Signal adds a payments feature with a privacy-focused cryptocurrency
#615There are 250 million units of mobilecoin, and majority of them are owned by the founders. Only 37.5 million have been distributed. With current price ($65), they're worth $14B already. This makes the project a scam and impossible for it to work as a reliable money that holds value. Bitcoin had no pre-mine and has been fairly distributed from the start.
> and has been fairly distributed from the start.
except for that giant cache of untouched (so far) bitcoins from the start.
> Blockchain analysts estimate that Nakamoto had mined about one million bitcoins before disappearing in 2010
Re: Signal adds a payments feature with a privacy-focused cryptocurrency
#616Earlier quoted context omitted.
In a lot of ways, the transfer of cryptocurrency is the same as the transfer of generic messages. It's only when you're transferring them back to dollars/yuan/yen/etc. that it's suddenly currency from a government.
> the transfer of cryptocurrency is the same as the transfer of generic messages Technically, yes. Legally and sociopolitically, no. And if you intentionally muddle the data streams, that brings the full force of anti-money laundering, tax evasion and terrorist financing law against you. It gives almost any government a free pass to do what it wants. Freedom to speak privately is, in most democracies, popularly recog…
Simply enough, people do NOT want filthy hooker money in their wallets, if they don't need to. Yuck.
Re: Signal adds a payments feature with a privacy-focused cryptocurrency
#617The comment from the article echos my own sentiments: > Speaking solely as a person who is really into encrypted messaging, it terrifies me that they're going to take this really clean story of an encrypted messenger and mix it up with the nightmare of laws and regulations and vulnerability that is cryptocurrency. Moreover, there are three other points I'd add: 1. I don't like "do everything" apps like WeChat or Line…
The "scam" is using payment systems that allow their owners, controllers, or just hackers to spy on every single transaction on earth, accessing all your past present and future economical activity on demand. Not even the worst dictatorships of centuries past ever dreamt of such awareness and control. The promotion of pseudonymous and anonymous digital payment systems such as cryptocurrencies is vital to a healthy an…
I can't really see how a craptocurrency attached to a messenger provides any sort of pseudonymity. If I can send money to you, I can later identify you in a ledger, which simply means I need to find some reason to converse with you and it's game over. If the ledger isn't public, you're back under corporate or Government control.
Re: Signal adds a payments feature with a privacy-focused cryptocurrency
#618There are 250 million units of mobilecoin, and majority of them are owned by the founders. Only 37.5 million have been distributed. With current price ($65), they're worth $14B already. This makes the project a scam and impossible for it to work as a reliable money that holds value. Bitcoin had no pre-mine and has been fairly distributed from the start.
If true then that's a huge minus. I would suspect they will "make it available" for "the low low price of ________" over time.
Re: Signal adds a payments feature with a privacy-focused cryptocurrency
#619Earlier quoted context omitted.
But then, you haven't solved the private electronic payment...
Most people don't want private electronic payments. In stable countries like the UK - where this is being launched - it's basically only useful for buying drugs and tax evasion.
This is the way government wants you to think. They want to know literally every dollar (unit_of_monetary_exchange) that you use and don't care one iota about your privacy. They don't want you to value privacy at all.
Re: Signal adds a payments feature with a privacy-focused cryptocurrency
#620Earlier quoted context omitted.
Yes, I've read that. I find it a stretch to draw that conclusion though, as if it's some back door deal for funding. For all the criticisms of cryptocurrency (and I have many...), I don't particularly see anything on MobileCoin's work that indicates the usual shady cryptocurrency stuff. I'm not sure it belongs in Signal, but I do think this stuff can be evaluated without people starting conspiracy theories.
It's not a conspiracy when it's all out in the open. Calling things you don't like a conspiracy theory to discredit them is a poor form of argument. A bunch of decently well of people decided to do a few handshake deals to make each other a whole bunch of money. That's how most of the world rolls so this is simply par for course.
If the owners of MobileCoin own 85% of existing coins which at current rates is valued at $14 billion, you actually expect they're not in this to liquidate their coin for that $14 billion if they can snooker people into using it?