Russia Proposes Jail Sentence for Bitcoin Activities

[bitbaby]

All the dictatorship regimes are afraid of everything which is associated with freedom. I strongly believe that they will not succeed in banning freedom though. The times has changed. 

It's just a proposal right now and it might/not go through but if it does then it will surely get difficult for Russians to buy/sell Bitcoins freely unless of-course everyone decides to do cash trades, which is not easy as it is difficult to find cash traders but if they trade using their bank accounts or other govt. controlled payment instruments then they'd get caught.

[crazyivan]

It s got nothing to do with illegal activities. It s got everything to do with Russian trying to destroy everything they cannot control directly. Even Chinese recognized benefits of BTC, do you really think Russia can stop it?

[Betwrong]

It s got nothing to do with illegal activities. It s got everything to do with Russian trying to destroy everything they cannot control directly. Even Chinese recognized benefits of BTC, do you really think Russia can stop it?

Haha, of course she can't.  Freedom can't be stopped in the internet age fortunately. Some may try to though, but they will never succeed.

[Mickeyb]

Who gives a flying f**k about Russia? Russia and another few countries that have ideas like this, we shouldn't even worry about! There are 185 more countries in the world that have much more positive opinion about Bitcoin. We should concentrate on them.

I mean look at whole EU, even China that has shown signs of Bitcoin acceptance lately. We should leave Russians to live in their corrupt, Putin regime. I don't care!!

[Denker]

As I said a few times banning will not help. Sooner or later they will have to deal with it in one way or the other.Because if they don't they will get left behind.Time is running and world is changing.This is the nature of evolution.And while the public will get criminalized using Bitcoin the political and financial Elite of the country will be the ones hoarding it on the quiete.

[medUSA]

Russia's stance on bitcoin swings from extremes faster we can follow. First, there was a complete bitcoin ban in 2014. Then it was passing a bill to regulate bitcoin in early 2015. In June, sources quote that Russian Central Bank will welcome bitcoin and now "Jail Sentence for Bitcoin Activities"? I believe Russia just want to go against the mainstream after EU rules bitcoin is a currency.

[1Referee]

I believe Russia just want to go against the mainstream after EU rules bitcoin is a currency.

Mostly this. They are constantly changing the way they see Bitcoin and I don't even take this "Jail proposal for Bitcoin usage" serious. Next year we'll see them change it into something else. And the year after that we'll probably see them welcome Bitcoin with open arms again 

[Q7]

I'm not sure how they are going to implement the control measures and the more they overdo it, people will even crave more and treasure cryptocurrencies. I don't understand why it reaches up to that level for them to make that decision. Obviously they see it as a threat.

[spazzdla]

It's Russia lol.  Almost like NK if you don't shit the proper way it's jail for life.

[cellard]

It is literally impossible to jail everyone who owns Bitcoin. Bitcoin transactions don't give locations and information about the owner. Even if they ban all Bitcoin related sites and IP, people would find another way to by pass it (e.g. through tor). Banning businesses is a whole different story. It could at most hinder the acceptance there.

Well it wouldn't stop Bitcoin from growing, look at the adoption graphs. An underground culture of Bitcoin would start happening. Look at the drug underground culture it's huge. So huge numbers can happen outside of law. Of course ideally I would like to see it accepted at mainstream level, but you can't reason with the nutjobs in charge.

[Kprawn]

Did you see the impact this has on the Bitcoin price? Me neither... the world of Bitcoin goes on without them, and the price just crossed the $300 mark. 

Russia most probably need this technology the most... well the people does.. the politicians and the policy makers on the other hand, have other ideas... and while these people

are in control, Bitcoin will struggle. Let freedom rule, where freedom are welcomed. 

[Timeline]

Luckily Bitcoin doesn't need Russia.

[BADecker]

The thing that we need to remember is, there is no governmental regulation of anything except people.

What exactly is governmental regulation of people? It is the few regulating the many.

I am not in favor of revolt. What I AM in favor of is, people determining what or who their government is... even if it is only they, themselves, governing themselves, on an individual basis.

Why do we each need to be part of a government besides the one that we are ourselves? Because we are not strong enough in this world and life to live without help. We help each other.

What should we do about a dictatorial government that is against us? First, we need to recognize it. Second, we have to decide if we are better off with or without it. Next, we need to evaluate the ways to get out or to change it. Guerrilla warfare is often the best way to leave an oppressive, aggressive government. Not direct fighting guerrilla warfare. Rather, peaceful change guerrilla warfare.

Read The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert Heinlein. Find the place within that describes how to build a safe, "cell oriented," underground network, and change government from within. In our day of electronic communications, this can be done safely and easily, if we do it right.

When the cell system becomes the government, the old government comes crashing down.

[botany]

Small correction. It is not proposing jail sentences.
It is proposing enhancing the jail sentences from 2 years to 4 years. 

[maokoto]

The thing is about control IMO. Russia has a lean to control everything in their citizens lives. Bitcoin is not easy to control, so better to ban it.

[Amph]

this is strange, i remember that they were pro bitcoin last time when they removed the ban, and suddenly, they change their mind, for now another trash thinking about children abuse and how it may be connected to bitcoin?

or drug with bitcoin, and shit like that? because they cannot contorl it? well guess what dear russia, bitcoin is decentralized

[Bitcoininspace]

headline should read:

"Russia bans science"

... along with cheese.

http://edition.cnn.com/2015/08/20/europe/russia-war-on-cheese/

[techboy2]

Is the Russian government run by idiots? If this story has any truth then I have no doubt that Russia would be made obsolete in the future and will probably become a slave to US/EU going forward.

[neurotypical]

Watching technology outdo governments is always a beautiful sight. They feel like pathetic ants trying to deal with an alien artifact that is disturbing their environment. These guys will never learn that you cannot stop progress no matter how much you try to ban it, but I guess they still haven't learned after the internet became unstoppable worldwide.

[Bit_Happy]

Watching technology outdo governments is always a beautiful sight. They feel like pathetic ants trying to deal with an alien artifact that is disturbing their environment. These guys will never learn that you cannot stop progress no matter how much you try to ban it, but I guess they still haven't learned after the internet became unstoppable worldwide.

A year or two ago this story would have concerned me, but now it seems relatively amusing.