Edward Snowden Warns Bitcoin Developers To Immediately Improve Privacy

JAKARTA - Concerns about data privacy and security of digital transactions are sticking out again, this time it comes from the famous whistleblower Edward Snowden. The former National Security Agency (NSA) employee urged Bitcoin developers to immediately increase privacy on the cryptocurrency protocol.

Snowden, known for his role in uncovering NSA mass surveillance programs, stressed that privacy is a fundamental element for Bitcoin to be able to function properly. He warned that without adequate privacy, Bitcoin would not be able to fulfill its promises as a secure and anonymous digital currency.

"It's been ten years I've warned Bitcoin developers that privacy should be integrated at the protocol level," Snowden said in a statement on social media. "This is the final warning. Time is going on."

Snowden's warning comes amid growing concerns about privacy in the Bitcoin ecosystem. Recently, Zksnacks, developer Wasabi Wallet, announced the termination of their coinjoint service, a feature that allows users to mix unspend transaction outputs (UTXOs) in order to increase privacy.

It is feared that the termination of this service will further facilitate the tracking of Bitcoin transactions. This is exacerbated by the indictment against developer Samourai Wallet, which further strengthens concerns about the future of privacy in the crypto economy.

Snowden called on Bitcoin developers to immediately take concrete steps to increase privacy, such as integrating features like coinjoin into Bitcoin core protocols.

He also highlighted the importance of an integrated privacy solution at the protocol level, instead of relying on external solutions such as Wasabi Wallet. According to him, the external solution is prone to regulatory pressure and can be easily disabled.

Hot Debate On Crypto Privacy

Snowden's comments on Bitcoin privacy have again sparked debate in the crypto community. Some have questioned why Snowden did not mention Monero (XMR), another cryptocurrency known for its focus on privacy, in calls to Bitcoin developers.

In response to the question, Bitcoin Core contributor Luke Dashjr said he had never heard such comments from Snowden before and added that he was "not aware of any viable privacy solution at the protocol level."

Nevertheless, Snowden's call to increase Bitcoin privacy has received support from many parties in the crypto community. They agreed that privacy is an important element for Bitcoin to be able to achieve its potential as a decentralized and censor-resistant tool.

Because the issue of Bitcoin privacy can have a negative impact on the value of the cryptocurrency. Investors may be reluctant to invest in Bitcoin if they feel that their privacy is not guaranteed. On the other hand, increasing Bitcoin privacy can have a positive impact on its value. This can attract new investors looking for secure and anonymous digital currencies.