MintChip's Barbra Streisand Moment | Bitcointalksearch.org

niko

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There is more to Bitcoin than bitcoins.

Quote from: finkleshnorts on September 26, 2012, 12:15:03 AM

Quote from: evoorhees on September 25, 2012, 10:57:13 AM

Hey honest bob, I understand what you're saying, but our blog is not intended to be a cold corporate faceplate. It's our sounding board, through which we comment on things we find interesting or important. Remember too that we're very dedicated community members, and we'll have opinions on things which are Bitcoin related but not necessarily directly BitInstant related. We don't intend to formally separate BitInstant from the community.

We are not really "outraged" at the MintChip thing. It's not a huge deal. We did find it disappointing and interesting, however, primarily because (as mentioned in the post) it illustrates the precise reason why Bitcoin is superior to any centrally controlled alternative: Bitcoin cannot be censored. I think this was the important lesson, and I wrote the blog post to convey it.

Thanks for this reply. I agree with what you're saying here... I guess it would by my only suggestion to divorce bitinstant from any ideologies, and just to stick with a cold corporate faceplate. I feel like bitinstant and the bitcoin community would benefit from not having our admittedly fringe ideals plastered all over the place. Why can't bitcoin, to the "outside world" if you will, just be (or just start out as) a new way to have/move/think about money? I feel like lots of people are turned off to bitcoin by all the libertarian mumbo-jumbo.

Absolutely. Describe the technology and what it can do, then let everyone decide about ideological implications for themselves. There is much more to this world, to cultural views, and to politics than the US and libertarianism.

jimbobway

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I disagree with honestbob. I thought the article was great!

finkleshnorts

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Quote from: evoorhees on September 25, 2012, 10:57:13 AM

Hey honest bob, I understand what you're saying, but our blog is not intended to be a cold corporate faceplate. It's our sounding board, through which we comment on things we find interesting or important. Remember too that we're very dedicated community members, and we'll have opinions on things which are Bitcoin related but not necessarily directly BitInstant related. We don't intend to formally separate BitInstant from the community.

We are not really "outraged" at the MintChip thing. It's not a huge deal. We did find it disappointing and interesting, however, primarily because (as mentioned in the post) it illustrates the precise reason why Bitcoin is superior to any centrally controlled alternative: Bitcoin cannot be censored. I think this was the important lesson, and I wrote the blog post to convey it.

Thanks for this reply. I agree with what you're saying here... I guess it would by my only suggestion to divorce bitinstant from any ideologies, and just to stick with a cold corporate faceplate. I feel like bitinstant and the bitcoin community would benefit from not having our admittedly fringe ideals plastered all over the place. Why can't bitcoin, to the "outside world" if you will, just be (or just start out as) a new way to have/move/think about money? I feel like lots of people are turned off to bitcoin by all the libertarian mumbo-jumbo.

evoorhees

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Democracy is the original 51% attack

Quote from: jwzguy on September 25, 2012, 11:04:33 AM

Great article, although I would have said "Ron Paul Moment" - that awkward moment when the guy who comes in first in your poll is suddenly removed from the results.

LOL true story

kjj

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Quote from: Yankee (BitInstant) on September 25, 2012, 11:34:59 AM

I've just been told the Canadian Mint will sue us if we dont take down the picture...which we just did.

We were also told that we'd probably win such lawsuit due to a strong argument for parody and/or protected political speech (at least in our 1st amendment loving country), and these apply to copyright and trademark claims. However, and this is why it's called a chilling effect, those are defenses to a lawsuit that's already in court so if I have to rely on them it means I've already hired defense counsel etc.

Maybe we could crowd source legal defense....

Heh. Post scans of the takedown notice, along with instructions on how to search google images for the many, many copies of it that are already out. That is the real Streisand Effect...

And yeah, you'd totally win in the US, and if your lawyer was awake, you'd win a judgment for Anti-SLAPP too.

Yankee (BitInstant)

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Charlie 'Van Bitcoin' Shrem

I've just been told the Canadian Mint will sue us if we dont take down the picture...which we just did.

We were also told that we'd probably win such lawsuit due to a strong argument for parody and/or protected political speech (at least in our 1st amendment loving country), and these apply to copyright and trademark claims. However, and this is why it's called a chilling effect, those are defenses to a lawsuit that's already in court so if I have to rely on them it means I've already hired defense counsel etc.

Maybe we could crowd source legal defense....

Raoul Duke

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Quote from: evoorhees on September 25, 2012, 10:45:23 AM

Edit- actually I can't fix it or the URL gets ruined. Fail on my part!

Reason 2039 to use a self-hosted WordPress for all your blogging needs Wink

jwzguy

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Great article, although I would have said "Ron Paul Moment" - that awkward moment when the guy who comes in first in your poll is suddenly removed from the results.

evoorhees

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Democracy is the original 51% attack

Quote from: lonelyminer (Peter Šurda) on September 25, 2012, 04:37:03 AM

Eric,

I caution against publishing pictures like this. A couple of years ago, there was a guy in the Germany that similarly modified a company's logo because he claimed they scammed him, and they sued him (I think for trademark violation). The royal mint already sued an artist for using a photo of coins for copyright violation.

Image on the blog has now been, like the contest itself, censored Wink

Probably good advice.

evoorhees

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Democracy is the original 51% attack

Quote from: finkleshnorts on September 25, 2012, 06:51:01 AM

:/

Sure, it's annoying, but what does this have to do with bitinstant?

Bitinstant is cool and all, but I don't think it was a professional move to call the Royal Canadian Mint a fraud on your website, complete with a defaced logo. Even if they were a "fraud" as you say.

It was a tongue-in-cheek answer anyway, on a poll that got mobbed by this forum. I remember voting there; that really would be the only thing I would use something like MintChip for. I got a kick out of it but that was it. I think the outrage is grossly misplaced.

Hey honest bob, I understand what you're saying, but our blog is not intended to be a cold corporate faceplate. It's our sounding board, through which we comment on things we find interesting or important. Remember too that we're very dedicated community members, and we'll have opinions on things which are Bitcoin related but not necessarily directly BitInstant related. We don't intend to formally separate BitInstant from the community.

We are not really "outraged" at the MintChip thing. It's not a huge deal. We did find it disappointing and interesting, however, primarily because (as mentioned in the post) it illustrates the precise reason why Bitcoin is superior to any centrally controlled alternative: Bitcoin cannot be censored. I think this was the important lesson, and I wrote the blog post to convey it.

niko

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Activity: 756

Merit: 501

There is more to Bitcoin than bitcoins.

Quote from: finkleshnorts on September 25, 2012, 06:51:01 AM

:/

Sure, it's annoying, but what does this have to do with bitinstant?

Bitinstant is cool and all, but I don't think it was a professional move to call the Royal Canadian Mint a fraud on your website, complete with a defaced logo. Even if they were a "fraud" as you say.

It was a tongue-in-cheek answer anyway, on a poll that got mobbed by this forum. I remember voting there; that really would be the only thing I would use something like MintChip for. I got a kick out of it but that was it. I think the outrage is grossly misplaced.

I was going to write something, but honest bob said it all.

evoorhees

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Democracy is the original 51% attack

Quote from: herzmeister on September 25, 2012, 05:29:04 AM

It's Barb_ra Streisand !!!1!

LOL my bad. Fixed

Edit- actually I can't fix it or the URL gets ruined. Fail on my part!

da2ce7

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Live and Let Live

maybe it would be better to replace the 'fraud' label. Maybe replace it with the 'scamers' or 'community rejection'

finkleshnorts

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Merit: 250

:/

Sure, it's annoying, but what does this have to do with bitinstant?

Bitinstant is cool and all, but I don't think it was a professional move to call the Royal Canadian Mint a fraud on your website, complete with a defaced logo. Even if they were a "fraud" as you say.

It was a tongue-in-cheek answer anyway, on a poll that got mobbed by this forum. I remember voting there; that really would be the only thing I would use something like MintChip for. I got a kick out of it but that was it. I think the outrage is grossly misplaced.

Bitcoin Oz

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Wat

They deserve a scammer label Tongue

herzmeister

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It's Barb_ra Streisand !!!1!

hazek

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Good write up Erik.

lonelyminer (Peter Šurda)

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Eric,

I caution against publishing pictures like this. A couple of years ago, there was a guy in the Germany that similarly modified a company's logo because he claimed they scammed him, and they sued him (I think for trademark violation). The royal mint already sued an artist for using a photo of coins for copyright violation.

misterbigg

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Perhaps the only thing I find surprising is that you didn't expect this?

Gabi

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If you want to walk on water, get out of the boat

Wow, mintchip is already disgusting. That's so ridicolous.

Topic: MintChip's Barbra Streisand Moment (Read 2834 times)