Everyone's talking about bitcoin being godlike and all good, but is there some downside to it, excluding the funding of terrorism and whatnot, but as the deisik said:
Though in a somewhat different context. Just earlier today I explained why Bitcoin can be used as an economic weapon of mass destruction. Since that explanation was made in another language, I think I can repeat it here. Countries with rogue or just incompetent governments may fall victim to a Bitcoin "attack", so to speak. In these countries population heavily suffers from constant currency devaluations (e.g. Zimbabwe in the past or Venezuela right now), so with Bitcoin they can completely abandon their low paid jobs and make a living entirely off Bitcoin. From an economic point of view, that would work as a reversed inflation tax. With a direct inflation tax, it is the population that suffers most from currency devaluation, but when we reverse this tax, it is the government that now gets hit by it. Thus Bitcoin can be used by powerful nations (say, the US) to ruin weak governments from inside entirely via economic measures without violence or blood (unless authorities start prosecuting people for using Bitcoin, of course)
Some scenarios like this, where bitcoin can destroy one's economy or something similar. Theories.
Why would the US, or any "powerful nation" for that matter, want to destroy weaker governments? They would just be seen as bullies by other countries and that would basically put a target on their back. Also, what would they gain from doing that? They would have to spend a lot of time and money to completely destroy a government, it is not as easy as just pressing a button. I don't understand how the first part of the paragraph is the bad side of Bitcoin. I think it is great that people from poorer countries are getting into Bitcoin and earning a living off it. If that is a way they can provide for their family and make sure that their kids don't go hungry at night, then so be it. If their government suffers, it is their own fault. The governments of 3rd world countries are always so corrupt, not to stereotype, and can't help out their citizens. It is the governments fault that it's people have to resort to Bitcoin just to survive. I live in Australia so my currency is pretty weak against the American dollar so I like to keep some of my assets in Bitcoin. This way I don't get affected too much by the devaluation of my money. Even though the devaluation is small, there is still money being lost that doesn't need to be.