About Bitcoin Privacy

[AprilioMP]

image source

Not about investment and trading but about the importance of maintaining and protecting privacy. Discussions about bitcoin investment and trading that appear on this forum are not only on the appropriate boards but on boards that shouldn't be, they are also presented by forum members with the possibility of meeting the quota or posting requirements.

My background makes this because very few discussions around the importance of privacy are focused and let the topic of discussion sink to the bottom. Most people focus too much on how to make a profit through Bitcoin, which gives the impression that Bitcoin is a tool for gaining wealth and not the greatest network in the history of currency transactions.

Privacy, which is often stated orally, is very important to maintain, is rarely taken seriously. Many bitcoin users know that bitcoin has quite good transparency and that other systems, including bank operating systems, do not have this. Bitcoin is famous for its anonymity, but various transaction flows can be tracked and seen by anyone and everything is recorded on the network.
Sending and receiving bitcoins can occur if the user has an address and with that address the public can know all transaction traffic.

It cannot be denied that humans have a forgetful nature, want to be known and acknowledged, etc., so they cannot properly maintain confidentiality, so they often take actions that could threaten privacy.
It's not how much bitcoin you have but how well you maintain the privacy of your bitcoin for the future.
Maintaining privacy is not trying to hide crimes but protecting oneself from crime.

What will I do?
1. Always try to use a new address to receive payments
2. Try not to publish your bitcoin address to the public.
3. Try to keep IP addresses undetectable by using tools like VPN.
4. Avoid using closed source wallets for storing bitcoins.

Hopefully this is a reminder for me personally and does not mean to advise others because I still have many limitations.

Reading source: https://bitcoin.org/en/protect-your-privacy

[tbct_mt2]

1. Always try to use a new address to receive payments

If you receive multiple payments from a same person, company, why do you need to change your receiving address?

You can use different receiving addresses for payments from different partners or even can use different wallets for them too.

2. Try not to publish your bitcoin address to the public.

If you don't have to do it, don't do it is the best practice.

3. Try to keep IP addresses undetectable by using tools like VPN.

VPN is not the best, use Tor.

4. Avoid using closed source wallets for storing bitcoins.

This point should be the first one.

Reminder: do not keep your money in online accounts

Use wallets that are open source, non custodial and have coin control features, RBF, CPFP because if you are going to non custodial, you will need those features.

[Zaguru12]

Not about investment and trading but about the importance of maintaining and protecting privacy. Discussions about bitcoin investment and trading that appear on this forum are not only on the appropriate boards but on boards that shouldn't be, they are also presented by forum members with the possibility of meeting the quota or posting requirements.

What I will say regarding this is that the it is everyone’s responsibility to have their his forum in order so that we can actually reduce the spam on it. On this I would say whenever you see a thread that is not placed on an appropriate board then it is right for you to report to the moderators to move the thread or just tell the OP to move it to the appropriate board. If it is a thread or reply you feel lacks substantial weight or meaning then you can report it also to be deleted, it is everyone’s responsibility to get the forum clean and just leave them and complain on another thread.

Privacy, which is often stated orally, is very important to maintain, is rarely taken seriously. Many bitcoin users know that bitcoin has quite good transparency and that other systems, including bank operating systems, do not have this. Bitcoin is famous for its anonymity, but various transaction flows can be tracked and seen by anyone and everything is recorded on the network.
Sending and receiving bitcoins can occur if the user has an address and with that address the public can know all transaction traffic.

There’s nothing beating privacy but that is also subjected to each individual, some people prefer to have there stuffs on the public and as such bitcoin is open to just any one who wants to use this to their satisfaction been it having your total privacy or not so concern about it. That is why it is mostly regarded as pseudonymous rather than anonymous.

Concerning bitcoin been seeing as a tool for just profit I don’t see everything bad in it since bitcoin provides people with that benefit aside it’s main purpose of been an alternative to the traditional way of making payments so there is nothing bad rather shows the vast advantage of bitcoin that everyone can fit in but just make sure you are investing an amount that you can
Lose and do not blame the system for lose.

[Fundamentals Of]

The reason why topics which are directly focused on privacy are not anymore common is that this has been discussed for many years already. Privacy is a fundamental aspect of Bitcoin. This has been talked about over and over again. But you must have noticed how it surfaces every time a new topic is brought up in which privacy is at stake. That's because every time something has implications on privacy, it must be discussed. Privacy is sacred and is valued.

For example, privacy is defended when talking about CBDCs. Privacy is also defended when we discuss about KYC and AML. Privacy is also brought up when we speak about centralized platforms or custodial services.

So I have to call you out for wrongly saying that privacy is rarely taken seriously. You couldn't be more wrong. And you are also wrong when you said that Bitcoin is famous for its anonymity. Bitcoin is not offering anonymity.

By the way you are also wrong in advising everyone to try not to publish your Bitcoin address to the public. Bitcoin has a public address. That is what is being shared publicly. How can you not publish it to the public when that is meant to be given to anybody who needs it? That's what others need in order to send you Bitcoin.

[Blitzboy]

We can become lost in the Bitcoin forest and forget about privacy. General privacy apathy is the issue. People believe "Oh, its just an address," but they dont realise that addresses are like breadcrumbs that lead to the whole loaf! What happens when privacy tools like VPNs fail? You're taking steps, which is great, but how many consider this in the big picture? We must always be watchful and ready to adjustrivacy techniques in the never-ending struggle for privacy.

Congrats on focusing on Bitcoin balance and privacy, which is sometimes overlooked. Please dont lose sight of this important issue between earnings and losses.

[tbct_mt2]

Concerning bitcoin been seeing as a tool for just profit I don’t see everything bad in it since bitcoin provides people with that benefit aside it’s main purpose of been an alternative to the traditional way of making payments so there is nothing bad rather shows the vast advantage of bitcoin that everyone can fit in but just make sure you are investing an amount that you can

If you use Bitcoin for payment as a sender or receiver of a trade, it does not bring profit. Payment is payment between two trade partners of a trade and value of the payment is fixed, no profit for either sender or receiver.

Bitcoin only can help you gain profit if you hold it as an investment, as a reserve for a while and during your holding time, Bitcoin has good rise in its price. If you receive bitcoin as payment from a trade, don't hold it but cash it out, it does not create profit, never.

Venezuelans who have to accept bitcoin for their businesses even small ones, said in some interviews that after a few months, they disappointed because they started to accept bitcoin in a bull market, months later bear market came and they had loss by receiving and holding bitcoin for a while. It is a good example for you, I think so.

[Zaguru12]

Concerning bitcoin been seeing as a tool for just profit I don’t see everything bad in it since bitcoin provides people with that benefit aside it’s main purpose of been an alternative to the traditional way of making payments so there is nothing bad rather shows the vast advantage of bitcoin that everyone can fit in but just make sure you are investing an amount that you can

If you use Bitcoin for payment as a sender or receiver of a trade, it does not bring profit. Payment is payment between two trade partners of a trade and value of the payment is fixed, no profit for either sender or receiver.

Bitcoin only can help you gain profit if you hold it as an investment, as a reserve for a while and during your holding time, Bitcoin has good rise in its price. If you receive bitcoin as payment from a trade, don't hold it but cash it out, it does not create profit, never.

Venezuelans who have to accept bitcoin for their businesses even small ones, said in some interviews that after a few months, they disappointed because they started to accept bitcoin in a bull market, months later bear market came and they had loss by receiving and holding bitcoin for a while. It is a good example for you, I think so.

I think I was misquoted probably because my sentence weren’t clear, but what I meant was aside the primary aim of satoshi that bitcoin can act as an alternative for payment, it can be used to gain profit through either the investment you mentioned or through trading. The word aside wasn’t emphasized by me probably but I didn’t mean that just using it for payment purposes will bring profit

[Z-tight]

Try to keep IP addresses undetectable by using tools like VPN.

This would not give you total privacy, if you want total privacy you have to run you own node over Tor, you can use a full node wallet like BTC core or run your own Electrum server if you use Electrum. If you connect to third party servers they can see all your addresses and know your ip addresses too.

[rat03gopoh]

My background makes this because very few discussions around the importance of privacy are focused and let the topic of discussion sink to the bottom.

In turn, this thread will too.

Bitcoin is famous for its anonymity, but various transaction flows can be tracked and seen by anyone and everything is recorded on the network.

I've never heard of that, what do I know bitcoin isnt good enough as an anonymous financial instrument on its own.

[Etranger]

What will I do?
1. Always try to use a new address to receive payments
2. Try not to publish your bitcoin address to the public.
3. Try to keep IP addresses undetectable by using tools like VPN.
4. Avoid using closed source wallets for storing bitcoins.

Hopefully this is a reminder for me personally and does not mean to advise others because I still have many limitations.

Reading source: https://bitcoin.org/en/protect-your-privacy

How exactly one can afford to always use a new address to receive payments? Won't it lead to even more problems with forgetfulness and inattention, which in your opinion are one of the reasons for disclosure of privacy? Moreover, you won't keep those bitcoins in your wallets forever. Sooner or later you will want to exchange them for fiat, and this is the link that most provokes the violation of anonymity. Therefore, your proposed steps will not help in this case.

[buwaytress]

1. Always try to use a new address to receive payments

If you receive multiple payments from a same person, company, why do you need to change your receiving address?

I don't mind doing this -- I actually find it useful (same address, different wallet, and the even another wallet to unlink) but it is something that could alert someone who wants to know about people.

Say a script that looks for an address receiving regular, same amount payments, high likelihood that it's a salary to the same person. And that person happens to sell at some point. Exchange KYCs. Then alerts an authority. Who then knows now the person has a fixed salary from said company, possibly violating tax/economic/ etc sanctions.

Easiest scenario I can think of.

How exactly one can afford to always use a new address to receive payments? Won't it lead to even more problems with forgetfulness and inattention, which in your opinion are one of the reasons for disclosure of privacy? Moreover, you won't keep those bitcoins in your wallets forever. Sooner or later you will want to exchange them for fiat, and this is the link that most provokes the violation of anonymity. Therefore, your proposed steps will not help in this case.

Strange that users now don't remember this cardinal rule of single address use is really easy and even a default feature in some wallets =)

If you're using a proper wallet, you'll have all the addresses you've ever used in it, you can even label them internally. My main hot wallet has hundreds of addresses labeled -- even if you ever forgot, the coins are always there, and trackable.

Not sure why you think new address use is a problem unless you're using a bad wallet. Then how do you keep track of change unless you specify coin control?

[BlackHatCoiner]

If you receive multiple payments from a same person, company, why do you need to change your receiving address?

Because it literally publishes itself as evidence that the same entity has been paying you? You should never reuse addresses, unless there is a significant burden with it. (i.e., if you're a signature campaign manager, it's time consuming and provides no tangible difference)

The reason why topics which are directly focused on privacy are not anymore common is that this has been discussed for many years already.

Come on, seriously. I think everyone can acknowledge that several topics are being recycled over and over, but is the privacy one really repeated? Because I mainly observe everything around price, government concerns, satoshi, and countries banning it / adopting it.

[Jawhead999]

Know what you're doing.

Seriously if you don't know what you're doing and just rely on article or someone else guide, you will not able to protect your privacy.

It's start as easy as not share your location or activity in social media.

It's correct to use new address, not publish your address, better to use Tor than VPN, and use open source wallet. But if you still use closed source and spyware system operation e.g. windows, how can you achieve full privacy?

[Hatchy]

1. Always try to use a new address to receive payments
2. Try not to publish your bitcoin address to the public.

1. Let's take for an instance, you are currently wearing the shuffle signature right, From what you are saying here you have to change your Bitcoin address in every weeks payment you are to receive in your current campaign? I don't think this would be necessary mate
2. Then why was it called a public address, if you aren't allowed to publish it to the public. How are you supposed to receive payment or transactions when you don't give out your public address.

[JunaidAzizi]

What will I do?
1. Always try to use a new address to receive payments
2. Try not to publish your bitcoin address to the public.
3. Try to keep IP addresses undetectable by using tools like VPN.

Op you provided the best solution for how to protect your privacy but there are some issues that may be occurring in it. Let's take the second point as an example. Let's suggest I run a business or I do some job and want my payment so how I get my payment. To receive my payments I need to publish to them so that they transfer my funds in Bitcoin. Similarly, the first tip is also good but why did the person change his address for the same job? I it is possible for you are work with somewhere else then I will create new and separate addresses for both.

[flyingcarpet]

What will I do?
1. Always try to use a new address to receive payments
2. Try not to publish your bitcoin address to the public.
3. Try to keep IP addresses undetectable by using tools like VPN.

Op you provided the best solution for how to protect your privacy but there are some issues that may be occurring in it. Let's take the second point as an example. Let's suggest I run a business or I do some job and want my payment so how I get my payment. To receive my payments I need to publish to them so that they transfer my funds in Bitcoin. Similarly, the first tip is also good but why did the person change his address for the same job? I it is possible for you are work with somewhere else then I will create new and separate addresses for both.

I think that's a bit exaggerated. Continue as you have been doing so far. If you are too careless, try to be a little more careful. Safety is always good, but it should not reach the level of paranoia.

As mentioned in the comments, we have to do some things, we have to give our addresses clearly and there is no problem in doing that. So these articles need some updating. It would be more useful if OP's articles (1,2,3) were updated in more detail.

[m2017]

Most people focus too much on how to make a profit through Bitcoin, which gives the impression that Bitcoin is a tool for gaining wealth and not the greatest network in the history of currency transactions.

Bitcoin may also be a tool for “becoming” poor. It all depends on how you use it. The bitcoin doesn't have clear “instructions” on how to use it, as a tool, and therefore, everyone finds their own use for the bitcoin. If someone uses the bitcoin as a different tool than you, this is not a reason for outrage.

Privacy, which is often stated orally, is very important to maintain, is rarely taken seriously. Many bitcoin users know that bitcoin has quite good transparency and that other systems, including bank operating systems, do not have this. Bitcoin is famous for its anonymity, but various transaction flows can be tracked and seen by anyone and everything is recorded on the network.
Sending and receiving bitcoins can occur if the user has an address and with that address the public can know all transaction traffic.

Pseudo-anonymity, to be precise.

With the help of an address, the public can know all the transaction traffic, but this does not mean that all these transactions are associated with you and it is impossible to determine without additional data who sent bitcoin to whom.

It cannot be denied that humans have a forgetful nature, want to be known and acknowledged, etc., so they cannot properly maintain confidentiality, so they often take actions that could threaten privacy.
It's not how much bitcoin you have but how well you maintain the privacy of your bitcoin for the future.
Maintaining privacy is not trying to hide crimes but protecting oneself from crime.

Well, at least someone understands the importance of privacy. Tell those who promote CBDC about this.

What will I do?
1. Always try to use a new address to receive payments
2. Try not to publish your bitcoin address to the public.
3. Try to keep IP addresses undetectable by using tools like VPN.
4. Avoid using closed source wallets for storing bitcoins.

Using free VPNs? Then your data, instead of getting to “some”, will get to “others”. There are doubts even about paid VPNs. So, this point requires improvement.

[hugeblack]

1. Always try to use a new address to receive payments
2. Try not to publish your bitcoin address to the public.
3. Try to keep IP addresses undetectable by using tools like VPN.
4. Avoid using closed source wallets for storing bitcoins.

Maintaining privacy is a continuous learning process. Everything may change after a month or a year, but as long as you learn and do not trust a third party, you will enhance your privacy. These tips are good, but they are not enough to stay safe from currency tracking services, I might add:

 - The best Tor is because in the case of a VPN you need to trust the service provider.
 - Do not use block explorers.
 - Run a full node and your own block explorer.
 - Use a mixing service without linking your inputs.

[Latviand]

VPN is not the best, use Tor.

To everyone out that's more paranoid about the Matrix seeing their moves, you can learn how to use Linux particularly Arch to switch your geolocation so you're really in a different place and use a Virtual Box for stuff that don't necessarily need a permanent save in your computer.

Issuing new addresses after each payment is tedious asf, maybe if you have a way that automates that process both from you and the people that will be paying you it's probably good but if it's manual as much as everyone suspects, I think it's not the priority if you want privacy. Also, why take all these steps in privacy? If you're that scare about people finding out about you, just use Monero. Remember that you probably have a birth certificate and you have an Internet access, it's not really difficult to track someone if they're still connected to the Internet with the right tools of course.

[BlackHatCoiner]

2. Then why was it called a public address, if you aren't allowed to publish it to the public. How are you supposed to receive payment or transactions when you don't give out your public address.

Two things.

• Broadcasting the transaction to the public isn't the same as having your real name tied with an address, publicly. Obviously, you send transactions to the public (ergo, broadcast them), because the ledger is public. What they probably meant is the latter.
• Nobody calls an address "public".