[2017-09-22] Amir Taaki's New Hacker Team Is Spreading Bitcoin in Syria

[tyz]

Radical Academy: Amir Taaki's New Hacker Team Is Spreading Bitcoin in Syria

Lugging an AK-47, fighting ISIS in Syria – Amir Taaki has seen some shit.

But, through it all, the hacker – best known for writing crypto code in abandoned London flats and creating one of the earliest dark markets powered by bitcoin – has kept the technology at the forefront of his mind. Now, emerging from his latest chaotic period, he's promoting the idea that the cryptocurrency needs to be taken back from central banks, governments and other powers that be.

In his first interview about a new unnamed project – which he simply calls "the academy" – Taaki laid out his plan to convert an entire region in northern Syria to a bitcoin-based economy.

https://www.coindesk.com/radical-academy-amir-taakis-new-hacker-team-spreading-bitcoin-syria/

[1Referee]

I can already see negative articles incoming regarding this, while in reality it's quite a decent opportunity to show what Bitcoin is capable of, despite everything going on there. If we look at how people in heavily affected areas are transacting, they are doing it in an all cash manner, while they in quite some cases have access to the internet through mobile devices. I see at least a decent bit of potential there. That being said, he has been quite loud with his ideas and overall crypto vision, but thus far it has mainly been big talk with not much action to back up all that. In that regard, I don't have much hope in hearing anything back from this when we are a few months away from the moment he did this interview.

[hatshepsut93]

Bitcoin is probably the only payment system that can bring at least some stability to unstable regions, as all centralized payment systems just refuse to operate there. For example, some people in Venezuela managed to live off Bitcoin as their country suffers from economic crisis, so it's quite possible that the same might be done in warzones. And Blockstream made a very smart move by launching their satellite, as they effectively gave Bitcoin an edge over traditional digital payment systems by extending its reach even further. So, maybe the Bitcoin revolution will come from third world and not the first.

[timisis]

Bitcoin is probably the only payment system that can bring at least some stability to unstable regions, as all centralized payment systems just refuse to operate there. For example, some people in Venezuela managed to live off Bitcoin as their country suffers from economic crisis, so it's quite possible that the same might be done in warzones. And Blockstream made a very smart move by launching their satellite, as they effectively gave Bitcoin an edge over traditional digital payment systems by extending its reach even further. So, maybe the Bitcoin revolution will come from third world and not the first.

I don't think the survival of a few Venezuelans or Syrians, and the death of the rest, is the point here. Amir's project is political, obviously, with nationalism that one hopes is not toxic.

[iamTom123]

I can already see negative articles incoming regarding this, while in reality it's quite a decent opportunity to show what Bitcoin is capable of, despite everything going on there. If we look at how people in heavily affected areas are transacting, they are doing it in an all cash manner, while they in quite some cases have access to the internet through mobile devices. I see at least a decent bit of potential there. That being said, he has been quite loud with his ideas and overall crypto vision, but thus far it has mainly been big talk with not much action to back up all that. In that regard, I don't have much hope in hearing anything back from this when we are a few months away from the moment he did this interview.

I am sure many in the mainstream media and population would view this news negatively but as for us in the Bitcoin community this is showing us that Bitcoin can be very useful in situations which are chaotic and not normal. Many times, Bitcoin have been utilized in times of crisis and this proposal from a radical converting a certain territory into what he called as Bitcoin-based economy can be a good experiment to see how far Bitcoin can hold its promise as the cryptocurrency for difficult times. Once this can be shown to be successful, we can see a similar adoption in other parts of the globe also in the same conflict situation. Though personally I am not supporting radicalism but this news is telling how resilient and adoptive Bitcoin can be.

[buwaytress]

The Academy was already mentioned I think as early as September, and the project itself has been ongoing for a long time. Taaki is definitely one of those I hope stays around with Bitcoin for a long time. He may forever be associated with dark markets by the mainstream media but he has quite a bit of respect I'd say within the cypherpunk communities.

I don't think the survival of a few Venezuelans or Syrians, and the death of the rest, is the point here. Amir's project is political, obviously, with nationalism that one hopes is not toxic.

Correct, but I think guys like Taaki have been for very long keen to keep "the spirit of crypto" alive. I watched an interview a few months back and he seems very much like the same guy he has a reputation for. He's always been a strong cryptography and privacy activist, definitely socially and politically active. He believes that Bitcoin's origin in development was as a political technology, and feels it should return to those roots.