MintChip's Barbra Streisand Moment | Bitcointalksearch.org

niko

hero member

Activity: 756

Merit: 501

There is more to Bitcoin than bitcoins.

Quote from: finkleshnorts on September 25, 2012, 11:15:03 PM

Quote from: evoorhees on September 25, 2012, 09:57:13 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

legendary

Activity: 1304

Merit: 1015

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

finkleshnorts

sr. member

Activity: 336

Merit: 250

Quote from: evoorhees on September 25, 2012, 09:57:13 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

legendary

Activity: 1008

Merit: 1023

Democracy is the original 51% attack

Quote from: jwzguy on September 25, 2012, 10:04:33 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

legendary

Activity: 1302

Merit: 1026

Quote from: Yankee (BitInstant) on September 25, 2012, 10:34:59 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)

legendary

Activity: 1078

Merit: 1000

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

legendary

Activity: 1358

Merit: 1002

Quote from: evoorhees on September 25, 2012, 09:45:23 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

hero member

Activity: 868

Merit: 1002

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

legendary

Activity: 1008

Merit: 1023

Democracy is the original 51% attack

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

legendary

Activity: 1008

Merit: 1023

Democracy is the original 51% attack

Quote from: finkleshnorts on September 25, 2012, 05:51:01 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

hero member

Activity: 756

Merit: 501

There is more to Bitcoin than bitcoins.

Quote from: finkleshnorts on September 25, 2012, 05:51:01 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

legendary

Activity: 1008

Merit: 1023

Democracy is the original 51% attack

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

legendary

Activity: 1222

Merit: 1016

Live and Let Live

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

finkleshnorts

sr. member

Activity: 336

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

hero member

Activity: 686

Merit: 500

Wat

They deserve a scammer label Tongue

herzmeister

legendary

Activity: 1764

Merit: 1007

It's Barb_ra Streisand !!!1!

hazek

legendary

Activity: 1078

Merit: 1003

Good write up Erik.

lonelyminer (Peter Šurda)

donator

Activity: 544

Merit: 500

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

legendary

Activity: 1064

Merit: 1001

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

Gabi

legendary

Activity: 1148

Merit: 1008

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 2859 times)