humble bundle and bitcoin

[Gareth Nelson]

I asked them about accepting bitcoin and told them (honestly) that i'd spend a lot more on the bundles if they took BTC, got this reply:

Hey Gareth!

The EFF has a great statement on BitCoin that closely follows our feelings toward BitCoin, which is available here: https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2011/06/eff-and-bitcoin

“We don’t fully understand the complex legal issues involved with creating a new currency system. Bitcoin raises untested legal concerns related to securities law, the Stamp Payments Act, tax evasion, consumer protection and money laundering, among others. And that’s just in the U.S. While EFF is often the defender of people ensnared in legal issues arising from new technologies, we try very hard to keep EFF from becoming the actual subject of those fights or issues. Since there is no caselaw on this topic, and the legal implications are still very unclear, we worry that our acceptance of Bitcoins may move us into the possible subject role.”

We like BitCoin and would love to accept it, but after contacting the EFF and a lawyer specializing in this sort of thing, we are not comfortable with the plethora of untested issues and legal traps, which would be a major distraction for us. We have been in contact with a number of bitcoin startups, and will be monitoring the landscape carefully.

Thank you for your support,

Drew
Support Ninja
Humble Bundle

[Coinabul]

I asked them about accepting bitcoin and told them (honestly) that i'd spend a lot more on the bundles if they took BTC, got this reply:

Hey Gareth!

The EFF has a great statement on BitCoin that closely follows our feelings toward BitCoin, which is available here: https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2011/06/eff-and-bitcoin

“We don’t fully understand the complex legal issues involved with creating a new currency system. Bitcoin raises untested legal concerns related to securities law, the Stamp Payments Act, tax evasion, consumer protection and money laundering, among others. And that’s just in the U.S. While EFF is often the defender of people ensnared in legal issues arising from new technologies, we try very hard to keep EFF from becoming the actual subject of those fights or issues. Since there is no caselaw on this topic, and the legal implications are still very unclear, we worry that our acceptance of Bitcoins may move us into the possible subject role.”

We like BitCoin and would love to accept it, but after contacting the EFF and a lawyer specializing in this sort of thing, we are not comfortable with the plethora of untested issues and legal traps, which would be a major distraction for us. We have been in contact with a number of bitcoin startups, and will be monitoring the landscape carefully.

Thank you for your support,

Drew
Support Ninja
Humble Bundle

Yeah, I sent them an inquiry last year, they won't accept Bitcoin without legal guidance. I think what the CLAG is doing is a good start towards clearing up the legal gray areas.

[Domrada]

<sigh>

Cowards.

[HostFat]

Then you have to come back to EFF HQ and give them all the possible support

[gweedo]

I don't understand the tax evasion part of that statement. Isn't the humble bundle all downloadable software? Their isn't a tax on downloadable software, so that has nothing to do with bitcoins. Honestly they sound like they don't understand it and are scared of bitcoins.

[Spenzert]

They answered me the same thing on August:

Copy-Paste

[malevolent]

Wait, so that's what they automatically reply with when someone emails them a message including words 'bitcoin' or 'btc'?

[Spenzert]

Wait, so that's what they automatically reply with when someone emails them a message including words 'bitcoin' or 'btc'?

No, it took me 2 days to get an answer, but they Copy-Paste when we say something about "Bitcoin" I guess

P.S: I told them about MtGox and it´s API, and they Copy-Paste

[hashman]

Seriously?  Humble Bundle?  World of Goo?
I would pay to have this crap removed from my system. 

[giszmo]

Drew
Support Ninja
Humble Bundle

Ninja. Sure.

[FreeMoney]

wtf. Sell them. What are people so afraid of?

[justusranvier]

wtf. Sell them. What are people so afraid of?

I think we should stop asking people to accept Bitcoins and instead ask them to add BitInstant, etc as a payment processor. There's really nothing for them to object to in this case, because using a payment processor insulates them from the risk.

[BitPay Business Solutions]

wtf. Sell them. What are people so afraid of?

I think we should stop asking people to accept Bitcoins and instead ask them to add BitInstant, etc as a payment processor. There's really nothing for them to object to in this case, because using a payment processor insulates them from the risk.

is BitInstant a Payment Processor?

[julz]

The EFF is a pathetic shadow of it's founding mission.
If they had taken this attitude towards encryption - we'd never have had freely available crypto.

That they do a hell of a lot of good in other areas is nice - but the damage they also do is a serious stain upon them.

The world would be worse off without the EFF - but on the other hand, they're occupying a space that could be filled by something better, and perhaps stopping that 'something better' from materialising. Sad.

[justusranvier]

wtf. Sell them. What are people so afraid of?

I think we should stop asking people to accept Bitcoins and instead ask them to add BitInstant, etc as a payment processor. There's really nothing for them to object to in this case, because using a payment processor insulates them from the risk.

is BitInstant a Payment Processor?

I meant BitPay, of course.

On the other hand it would be easier if less companies used Bit* as their name.

[Gareth Nelson]

Technically it's possible to use /cashtobtc or the IPN system at BitInstant to implement a payment processor

But yeah, I even mentioned bitpay to them after that above reply and got no response. It's sad as I fully meant what I said about paying more.