- Three times a week: Conduct an hour or two of research into an assigned cryptocurrency/bitcoin related topic, and write up one or two paragraphs summarizing the research. Your summary will sometimes be posted to the blog: http://invisiblemoneydocumentary.wordpress.com/
- Every Friday: Write up a paragraph or two about the most interesting thing that you've learned about cryptocurrency/bitcoin during that week.
The position is unpaid, and the Research Assistant will be credited in the film as either Research Assistant, or Social Media Manager, depending on how the role evolves, and depending on the interests of the Research Assistant. In later stages of production, we'll be hiring a Researcher who will be paid in BTC or $ depending on their preference, and who will be credited in the film as Researcher. The Research Assistant will be among the first considered for the position.
To apply for the position, write one or two paragraphs about the recent halting of withdrawals from Mt. Gox and Bitstamp and send it to [email protected]. Make sure to include links to any sources of information which contributed to your research.
A writing sample can be seen below:
Quote
FINCEN AND THE LEGALITY OF CREATING BITCOINS IN THE USA
Bitcoin mining company Milly Bitcoin asked for a ruling from FINCEN regarding whether or not companies which mine bitcoin will be legally classified as money transmission services. FINCEN responded “Activities that, in and of themselves, do not constitute accepting and transmitting currency, funds or the value of funds, are activities that do not fit within the definition of money transmission services and therefore are not subject to FinCEN’s registration, reporting, and recordkeeping regulations for MSBs” They went on to confirm that “To the extent that a user mines Bitcoin and uses the Bitcoin solely for the user’s own purposes and not for the benefit of another, the user is not an MSB under FinCEN’s regulations, because these activities involve neither “acceptance” nor “transmission” of the convertible virtual currency and are not the transmission of funds within the meaning of the Rule.”
This is good news for Bitcoin miners, and is a sign that FINCEN is adopting a moderate regulatory position on Bitcoin transactions which targets illegal uses of Bitcoin such as money laundering, but which does not consider the creation of the currency itself to be a crime. The creation of cryptocurrencies is technically illegal and could be prosecuted under title 18 U.S.C. 336, Sec. 336. which states “Whoever makes, issues, circulates, or pays out any note, check, memorandum, token, or other obligation for a less sum than $1, intended to circulate as money or to be received or used in lieu of lawful money of the United States, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than six months, or both.” However, this statute hasn’t been enforced in a published court opinion since 1899, a good sign for the budding currency.
Read more:
http://cointext.com/fincen-issues-bitcoin-friendly-ruling-for-miners/
http://www.communitycurrencieslaw.org/currency-laws/
Bitcoin mining company Milly Bitcoin asked for a ruling from FINCEN regarding whether or not companies which mine bitcoin will be legally classified as money transmission services. FINCEN responded “Activities that, in and of themselves, do not constitute accepting and transmitting currency, funds or the value of funds, are activities that do not fit within the definition of money transmission services and therefore are not subject to FinCEN’s registration, reporting, and recordkeeping regulations for MSBs” They went on to confirm that “To the extent that a user mines Bitcoin and uses the Bitcoin solely for the user’s own purposes and not for the benefit of another, the user is not an MSB under FinCEN’s regulations, because these activities involve neither “acceptance” nor “transmission” of the convertible virtual currency and are not the transmission of funds within the meaning of the Rule.”
This is good news for Bitcoin miners, and is a sign that FINCEN is adopting a moderate regulatory position on Bitcoin transactions which targets illegal uses of Bitcoin such as money laundering, but which does not consider the creation of the currency itself to be a crime. The creation of cryptocurrencies is technically illegal and could be prosecuted under title 18 U.S.C. 336, Sec. 336. which states “Whoever makes, issues, circulates, or pays out any note, check, memorandum, token, or other obligation for a less sum than $1, intended to circulate as money or to be received or used in lieu of lawful money of the United States, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than six months, or both.” However, this statute hasn’t been enforced in a published court opinion since 1899, a good sign for the budding currency.
Read more:
http://cointext.com/fincen-issues-bitcoin-friendly-ruling-for-miners/
http://www.communitycurrencieslaw.org/currency-laws/