CIA trying to co-opt bitcoin developers ?

[mai77]

well, if a discussion is welcome then why is the thread locked?

usually, when the CIA recruits its sources like the Iraqi guy codenamed "curveball" they start out with small sums of money...


https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=6652.msg97181#msg97181

I want to get this out in the open because it is the kind of thing that will generate conspiracy theories:  I'm going to give a presentation about Bitcoin at CIA headquarters in June at an emerging technologies conference for the US intelligence community.

I accepted the invitation to speak because the fact that I was invited means Bitcoin is already on their radar, and I think it might be a good chance to talk about why I think Bitcoin will make the world a better place.  I think the goals of this project are to create a better currency, create a more competitive and efficient international payment system, and give people more direct control over their finances.  And I don't think any of those goals are incompatible with the goals of government.

I'm only very slightly worried that talking about bitcoin at the CIA will increase the chances they'll try to do something we don't want them to do.  I think accepting their invitation and being open about exactly what bitcoin is will make it less likely they'll see it as a threat.

PS: Full disclosure: I'll be paid a one-time fee [ ] of $3,000 to cover expenses and pay me for my time.  I don't want any "Gavin is on the CIA's payroll" rumors to get started, either...

As always, comments and questions and discussion welcome.  I'd really rather not hear any conspiracy theories about how they'll secretly implant a mind-control chip in my head while I'm there, though....

[Severian]

You really need to expand that tiny worldview.

I additionally believed that one of our best defenses against the national security state was the perennial proclivity of clandestine organizations to piss off their own employees.

Bitcoin foreshadowed: “The End of Ordinary Money” by J. Orlin Grabbe (1995)

[antibanker]

they might or might not try to co-opt those core bitcoin developers.

[Jobe7]

interesting how the 2011 crash happened right around that time .. reckon the CIA got some funny ideas after the presentation and sent someone to do the hack and sell?

[antibanker]

they are up to SOMEthing !

[Jobe7]

they are up to SOMEthing !

nah, they did, they tried, it was called and will be known as the feeble June 2011 crash, and now look at it. The btc itself is so spread out and the people now learned from that mistake, never have so much in 1 place. The market is nearly at $2billion, and I'd be extremely surprised if anyone with other $10 in btc have their coins in 1 easy access central place.

If they've got that much they've got the paranoia to split it at least $1 mil, though most would to at least $500,000. Then it's a very easy case to count by the $mils.

Back then all you needed was $250,000 worth of coins to cause such a crash.

https://blockchain.info/charts/market-cap?timespan=all&showDataPoints=false&daysAverageString=1&show_header=true&scale=0&address=

Have a look at how the capital in btc back in June 2011 compares to now. If the CIA/Banks etc tried to buy out $50 billion of btc it would draw HUGE attention to the btc world making whatever they put into it multiple by a stupid factor as their own investment attracted people from around the world.

And then it's a case of finding enough sellers to spend $50 billion, which they would, slowly over time, causing more btc holders to sell/use their btc as it increases in value and more businesses to see the attraction and join.

------------------------

The other method as we have seen, and that they're trying again - hack a single point, steal a load and resell in hopes to cause a fear/panic sell and crash the market - added bonus that this tactic doesn't cost a thing. Shame is, because of their previous attack, then btc world has learned and progressed and is now immune to such an attack. OK, maybe not 100% immune, there will be some moron from time to time who stashes all their wealth in 1 place against all warnings. And their bank/exchange will become a primary target for hacking, and maybe they'll get hacked, and the muppet will lose his btc, but by then, his loss won't effect the btc market at all, like how selling $100k on the btc market today hardly makes a notice.

So, ye, they made btc stronger And the continued attacks only prove to show how resilient it is, and this is very early days for btc yet