WTF - Kiddy Porn in the Blockchain for life?

[the founder]

Seriously WTF is going on here:

https://twitter.com/travisgoodspeed/status/328906226572345344

If this is true (I can't find that transaction)  This cannot help our cause at all.

(moderator note: read http://garzikrants.blogspot.com/2013/04/on-bitcoin-data-spam-and-evil-data.html for an insight of this by the devs)

[Come-from-Beyond]

Seriously WTF is going on here:

https://twitter.com/travisgoodspeed/status/328906226572345344

If this is true (I can't find that transaction)  This cannot help our cause at all.

Now any user of Satoshi's client can be put in jail for storing CP on their computer.

[charleshoskinson]

Could a dev please immediately look into this claim?

[Come-from-Beyond]

Could a dev please immediately look into this claim?

No need. While ppl don't know about this they are protected against accusations in cp possession. Once they know they have to delete the blockchain. If they continue to store and especially to distribute the blockchain data they are in troubles.

[charleshoskinson]

Ignorance is not an affirmative defense in all courts of law. This is something that has to be addressed ASAP by a developer

[Come-from-Beyond]

Ignorance is not an affirmative defense in all courts of law. This is something that has to be addressed ASAP by a developer

It's related to "unwitting accomplice". If u don't violate rules of data handling, then u r ok. (There are no such rules yet.) U would be punished only if u violated rules set by the govt. At least in my country.

[charleshoskinson]

Not in all countries and it can be argued if this becomes public knowledge that we no longer have this defense. Look at Tor operators

[ffernandex]

I really don't see how a link text can be considered CP at all...

[matthewh3]

The blockchain doesn't store links or text it only stores address and stuff.  So unless they had bitcoin-qt used on an IP address of a illegal website I can't see how it can be in the blockchain.  Then all it means is an IP address has been saved.  IP addresses aren't created for any website in particular.  

[Come-from-Beyond]

I really don't see how a link text can be considered CP at all...

If it's just a text link then it's ok. But someone can embed a low-res image...

[Come-from-Beyond]

The blockchain doesn't store links or text it only stores address and stuff.  So unless they had bitcoin-qt used on an IP address of a illegal website I can't see how it can be in the blockchain.  Then all it means is an IP address has been saved.  IP addresses aren't created for any website in particular.  

It can store any data.

[charleshoskinson]

Once we have a definitive answer. Please have gavin or someone else issue a counter tweet

[matthewh3]

I really don't see how a link text can be considered CP at all...

If it's just a text link then it's ok. But someone can embed a low-res image...

What a ASCII image?  

[matthewh3]

Once we have a definitive answer. Please have gavin or someone else issue a counter tweet

Why should they bother just because someone started rumour that's not even possible.

[matthewh3]

The blockchain doesn't store links or text it only stores address and stuff.  So unless they had bitcoin-qt used on an IP address of a illegal website I can't see how it can be in the blockchain.  Then all it means is an IP address has been saved.  IP addresses aren't created for any website in particular.  

It can store any data.

Yeah in binary if you gonna send millions of 0.00000001 tx's.

[Come-from-Beyond]

I really don't see how a link text can be considered CP at all...

If it's just a text link then it's ok. But someone can embed a low-res image...

What a ASCII image?  

Base64-encoded JPG.

[casascius]

What's the worst that can happen?  Prosecuting this would come at a massive political cost for prosecutorial forces that would clearly validate the notion that Bitcoin works, they hate it, and they're doing anything they can to stop it... and that their stopping it must be futile if calling it "child porn" is the best they can do.

I could just see it on the news as a reporter asks: "It's widely reported that traces of cocaine can be found on over 80% of the US dollar banknotes in circulation, even among those who have never used cocaine, and yet we don't throw everybody in jail for possession of cocaine, even though they technically are.  Most of the people using Bitcoin have no interest in child porn and aren't looking at the images or clicking the links allegedly embedded in the transaction ledger.  Why is prosecuting people on this technicality so important to throw resources at it, when prosecuting people for unintentional cocaine possession is not?"

[charleshoskinson]

This is a pr issue involving the technology of bitcoin. Since the devs have begun deciding pr issues, it is now their job to comment. Could someone who is a dev please review this claim and issue a formal statement

[Walter Rothbard]

If this is true (I can't find that transaction)

There's no source for the allegation, and it seems technologically impossible.  I see no need for anyone to respond.

I could tweet that Bitcoin kills kittens, too; it wouldn't mean that everyone is going to abandon Bitcoin if the devs don't issue an official response.

[ffernandex]

Once we have a definitive answer. Please have gavin or someone else issue a counter tweet

Why should they bother just because someone started rumour that's not even possible.

It's possible to embed any text message to a transaction, as in Satoshi's famous genesis block quote "The Times 03/Jan/2009 Chancellor on brink of second bailout for banks"