Today the Australian Federal Police will use the “National Security” argument to gain permission to crack into crypto currencies.
Opinion:
Conservative commentators are applauding the move as crypto slips through the fingers of their ‘market share’ and remains outside government controls.
This entire scenario depends on a misconception people have about the nature of crypto currency. It is not a traditional “industry” or “business” though some industries and businesses may utilise the occasional crypto tool.
The point of using the various alternative transaction systems like crypto currency IS to avoid all the traditional models including accounting and accountability.
Crypto currency is inherently devised to return the option of person to person transactions outside all government and corporate constraints. Like cash once was (if you go back far enough in time).
In Australia we are fast headed for a cashless society where corporate interests have absolute insight into consumption allowing unprecedented opportunity for individualised marketing and consequently control over the public and private economies.
People have a need for a degree of privacy and freedom from external control to feel safe. Hence the rise of ideas (like crypto) that attempt to step aside from the vast commodification of all things, and return a modicum of personal control to individuals.
No George Orwell here. Simply stating the obvious.
The security issues are real in every society and criminal elements will forever use innovations to outwit authorities… but do you truely need OurGov pressing so firmly up against every breath we take?
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