What do you make of Jeff Sessions comments?

Hydrogen

legendary

Activity: 2562

Merit: 1441

Politicians are computer illiterate. Those in office don't understand the difference between RAM and a hard drive. They repeat talking points given to them from special interests. There is a long history to this.

In past years, american politicians tried to convince the public we needed a great firewall to censor data similar to what china has. They tried to convince the public that passwords were obsolete things & that a better system would be to have the government authenticate identity on all websites so that people wouldn't have to remember their passwords.

The latest campaign being waged by politicians/special interests is against encryption. They don't include crypto currencies in this. Their goal is to reduce the effectiveness of SSL/SSH/TOR/VPN and other encryption which make it difficult for governments to spy on activities of the public on the internet.

Here's an example of what Jeff Sessions is talking about.

Quote

Why Apple Is Fighting Not To Unlock iPhones For The Government

Yesterday, the FBI filed an order compelling Apple to unlock an iPhone used by Syed Farook, one of the attackers in the San Bernardino shooting incident late last year which left 14 people dead.

Shortly thereafter, Apple CEO Tim Cook published a bold statement indicating that Apple planned to fight the order. Apple was joined by the Electronic Frontier Foundation, which said it would aid in the fight.

https://techcrunch.com/2016/02/17/why-apple-is-fighting-not-to-unlock-iphones-for-the-government/

Politicians like Jeff Sessions want encryption on iphones and other products removed to make it easier for the state to conduct surveillance / spy on the public.

Fatso123111

newbie

Activity: 29

Merit: 0

I wouldn't be worried about Jeff Sessions. Senator Feinstein however.......

Marlo Stanfield

sr. member

Activity: 490

Merit: 280

He's the type that I can picture trying to implement some overly broad, hamfisted regulation typical of regulators who don't have any idea about what their actually trying to regulate. I think it's pretty safe to say he's not going to be able to do anything effective against Bitcoin on a technical level, but I worry about even just the general idea of regulation having a chilling effect on the Bitcoin economy in the short term if he actually tries to do something like this.

I wonder if he even realizes that we can thank the US gov for TOR in the first place.

GreenBits

legendary

Activity: 1148

Merit: 1048

Quote from: overdraft on October 21, 2017, 11:56:20 AM

Do you think he is more interested in going after dark web, bitcoin, or both?

Jeff Sessions is old school as fuck. Like, I dont believe in pot old school. SO I dont expect him to really see any merits in cryptocurrencies, as the most exposure he has had with them given his age is most likely our negative media hits. I imagine both bitcoin and dark markets are in the same place for him, ideologically.

I will say, however, we have never seen as much prosecution and legislation of bitcoin as we have of late. it seems like despite how he may feel, he is certainly motivated to do something about it LOL. Two major dark markets taken down within weeks of each other, and btce shuttered over allegations.

He is sipping an iced tea, with lemon, and is smiling widely. Wink

HabBear

hero member

Activity: 1106

Merit: 638

Quote from: overdraft on October 21, 2017, 12:41:11 PM

Vote? I have a bridge to sell you buddy
Now let’s see if anyone can actually real my question without going on a political tangent

That's fine, be jaded. The real driver of your angst is because most people in a country don't give a fuck about politics and just choose one of the two awful options that are put forward by the two (or few) major parties and the media.

The vote is powerful. What you don't realize is how few people believe it. If more people stopped following the herd we'd see real change.

Thanks for calling me out on the political tangent bit. Sorry for that. Let's try again?

Quote from: overdraft on October 21, 2017, 11:56:20 AM

Do you think he is more interested in going after dark web, bitcoin, or both?

Both.

For the me the test is:

If Bitcoin existed without the dark web would he care as much? No.
If the dark web existed without Bitcoin would he care as much? No. It's existed for along time using the good US Dollar as the currency of choice!

overdraft

newbie

Activity: 8

Merit: 0

Quote from: HabBear on October 21, 2017, 12:06:18 PM

Wow, you won't even provide a link to the comments or article?

For everyone else, here you go: https://themerkle.com/us-attorney-general-hints-at-possible-bitcoin-regulation-due-to-darknet-popularity/

Quote from: AG Sessions Hints at Possible Bitcoin Regulation Due to Popularity of Darknet JP Buntinx October 21, 2017

US regulators have been keeping a close eye on Bitcoin and the darknet over the past few years. More specifically, US Attorney General Jeff Sessions recently voiced some major concerns regarding both topics. Additionally, he’s concerned over the use of “encrypted networks”, which seemingly hints at an impending crackdown on services such as Telegram.

The government will always try to control that which has growing interest among the public but is still not fully understood by the government.

The biggest thing people can do to fight these kind of actions is by voting these misguided leaders out of office. Certainly Trump, Sessions, and nearly everyone Trump has appointed are NOT the most intelligent and capable people of holding such powerful positions.

Sessions comments link Bitcoin to the darknet and therefore regulation may be needed. That's as ridiculous as saying the Dollar is used to buy drugs, therefore we need more regulation over the Dollar.

If you want to fight these kind of uniformed and not well thought through points of view, talk about Bitcoin to everyone you know. The more we talk about it the more we can educate people AND eliminate the "that's just for the dark web" misunderstanding. When you go to buy something, ask the merchant "do you accept Bitcoin?"

If each of us does this we'll see a lot of growth in understanding and adoption.

Vote? I have a bridge to sell you buddy
Now let’s see if anyone can actually real my question without going on a political tangent

HabBear

hero member

Activity: 1106

Merit: 638

Wow, you won't even provide a link to the comments or article?

For everyone else, here you go: https://themerkle.com/us-attorney-general-hints-at-possible-bitcoin-regulation-due-to-darknet-popularity/

Quote from: AG Sessions Hints at Possible Bitcoin Regulation Due to Popularity of Darknet JP Buntinx October 21, 2017

US regulators have been keeping a close eye on Bitcoin and the darknet over the past few years. More specifically, US Attorney General Jeff Sessions recently voiced some major concerns regarding both topics. Additionally, he’s concerned over the use of “encrypted networks”, which seemingly hints at an impending crackdown on services such as Telegram.

The government will always try to control that which has growing interest among the public but is still not fully understood by the government.

The biggest thing people can do to fight these kind of actions is by voting these misguided leaders out of office. Certainly Trump, Sessions, and nearly everyone Trump has appointed are NOT the most intelligent and capable people of holding such powerful positions.

Sessions comments link Bitcoin to the darknet and therefore regulation may be needed. That's as ridiculous as saying the Dollar is used to buy drugs, therefore we need more regulation over the Dollar.

If you want to fight these kind of uniformed and not well thought through points of view, talk about Bitcoin to everyone you know. The more we talk about it the more we can educate people AND eliminate the "that's just for the dark web" misunderstanding. When you go to buy something, ask the merchant "do you accept Bitcoin?"

If each of us does this we'll see a lot of growth in understanding and adoption.

overdraft

newbie

Activity: 8

Merit: 0

Do you think he is more interested in going after dark web, bitcoin, or both?

Topic: What do you make of Jeff Sessions comments? (Read 273 times)