Topic: The Paradox of Privacy and Decentralization: Banning Mixers on Bitcointalk.org - page 3. (Read 610 times)

The decision to ban mixers is not the creation of the bitcointalk community. It was a result of pressure from external forces that has the potential or power to negatively affect the forum. Mixers are now erroneously seen as a service that promotes criminal activities and associating with it will make those forces see the forum as a place that promotes criminality. So the best thing to do is disassociate with mixing service. The values of this community have not changed, we still believe in privacy and decentralization.

The main reason why governments are shutting down mixers is not because they are used for criminal activities, they want to centralise Bitcoin so that they can kill privacy. But there is a battle you cannot fight. These Law enforcement agencies can seize any website, including this one. They cannot stop us from talking about decentralization but they have the power to control our platforms. If you don't do what they say, then you might not have the platform to spread your beliefs.

The views of most members of the forum have been expressed in this thread
https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/mixers-to-be-banned-5476162

I don't know how he will feel about the current situation but it is glary that things are changing and the community is facing so many attacks. Maybe he might start researching other means to keep Bitcoin decentralized.

There is no way one can balance regulation and decentralization, that's not possible. Legal compliance is just a loss of privacy. But I am afraid that the attack on Bitcoin will keep increasing. These forces will not rest until they centralise the coin. I predict that the community will start devising other ways to escape centralisation.

This is a forum not an exchange, not a platform where you save your Bitcoin or can you perform any Bitcoin transaction here, let's not fail to understand that, so in no way has theymos stopped anyone from making use of mixer, the decision to ban mixer from the forum by January 1 is one that is to protect the forum, there are no Many mixing platform and it won't be easy to decipher which is a bad for the community members to cut down that risk the banning mixer from the forum is justifiable, I don't have anything against some money mixer but when A sector is bombarded by new entry be sure to get some bad eggs.
The main priority of theymos now is to protect the community then every other thing is secondary.

I guess your both right to an extent.
The thought never crossed my mind about that.
A lot of prominent members have issues with it , it makes me wonder are they upset over the concept or does it directly affect them
What are a lot of these guys doing to aquire coins that necessitates a mixer?

I believe if we try to look at the situation from theymos' point of view, it's either risk BitcoinTalk, and its administrators, to be tagged -  or something more serious - by the government for allowing the advertisment of mixing/tumbling services, or removing them from the forum altogether. We may not like the decision, but theymos chose the path with the least risk, and with the least possible issues for the admins.

Plus for theymos to make that decision, the situation probably must be getting more alarming?

also dont forget these two details

1. many bitcoiners lobbied to get governments to recognise bitcoin as a currency.. opening the door to currency regulations
   (2009-2013 bitcoin was defined as private property. 2014-now its currency)

2. regulations actually require businesses to watch/monitor mixer users that deposit with them, more so than other random people transacting on the blockchain. so using a mixer doesnt offer better privacy, it puts you on a watchlist due to using a mixer.

the solution, if regulators require businesses to monitor mixer users..
a. stop using mixers
b. invent a new service that does not even mention privacy/cleaning, mixing.. and is more creative with how it takes in deposits and withdraws .. cough cough satoshi-dice cough cough

There is another conflict and it's right in your way of thinking, do you realize that mixers are centralized platforms?
So you're right now advocating for a centralized platform that talks about decentralization to allow centralized services! 
If we were advocating for decentralization and being your own bank not your keys not your coins all that, , shouldn't we  actually ban any service that takes custody of your coins and that is virtually a bank,  a thing that we go against the principles this forums stands for?
How is that ideology going? 

 Bitcointalk, a place of decentralized ideologies, has banned the use of mixers starting Jan 1 2024. This decision presents a fascinating irony and raises several questions about the core values of Bitcoin and the broader crypto community.

The Ideological Conflict:
At its heart, Bitcoin is a decentralized currency. Mixers, which enhance transaction privacy, seem like a natural ally to this cause. Yet, their banning on a platform dedicated to decentralization is contradictory. Does this signify a shift in the community's values, or is it a necessary compromise?

Legal and Ethical Considerations: 
The rationale behind banning mixers often revolves around legal compliance and preventing illicit activities. While these are valid concerns, do they justify stepping away from the principles of privacy and decentralization?

Community Response and Impact:
How has this decision been received by the broader cryptocurrency community? Does it affect the way we perceive and use Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies?

Speculating on Satoshi Nakamoto’s Perspective:
If Satoshi Nakamoto were to witness this, what would their reaction be? Would they advocate for absolute adherence to privacy and decentralization, or acknowledge the need for some regulatory measures?

The Future of Decentralization and Privacy in Cryptocurrencies:
Looking forward, how do we balance the ideals of privacy and decentralization with the practicalities of regulation and legal compliance? What developments might we anticipate in this domain?