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February 27, 2013, 02:10:25 PM |
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This survey doesn't prove what you said it proves. It proves that 9% of a specific sample group admitted on a survey to purchasing narcotics via bitcoins, and it proves that 61% of the same specific sample group admitted to either gambling, taking drugs, drinking, smoking, etc.
What you extrapolate onto the general population based on that survey data depends on many factors, including how 'random' the sample really was, the likelihood of people telling the truth given the survey method and the nature of the questions asked, etc. People who purchase narcotics on bitcoin generally have spent some time learning a thing or two about security. They may be using the TOR network or similar service. However, anyone who REALLY knows a thing or two about security knows that even giving information like that over something as secure as the TOR network is not really worth even the miniscule risk. On the OTHER hand, blah blah blah.
So basically, take the survey results with a grain of salt. They may be accurate, they may not be.
IMHO, I believe that the survey is pretty accurate; that's just my general perception. People who think the entire bitcoin economy is based off of "drugs and child porn" (you've seen those troll comments on Reddit) are people who either don't own bitcoin or don't know anything about it. Actually these are also people who know nothing about the internet. Doesn't matter where you look, porn on the internet is 99% of the time free. Doesn't matter whether it's child porn or black amputee toilet hardware fetish porn. Sure there are billions of dollars spent on it, yet the amount "consumed" is far higher due to its availability, especially with bitcoin users who happen to know a thing or two about the internet and aren't going to pay a dime for movies, music, books, or porn. Yet I see that suggestion plastered all over social media sites in casual discussions of bitcoin. To suggest that a sizable portion of the bitcoin economy is users paying cash for illegal and immoral pornography is absolutely unrealistic and is just a weak attempt at sensationalism. <tinfoilhat>Or... is it cointelpro's paid trolls trying to influence public opinion? Lololol. </tinfoilhat>
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