How can Bitcoin be used to promote free speech?

[Loyang]

Also, when making a Bitcoin transaction, you can add a comment to it, and it will be there forever. No one can delete or censor it. You can learn how to do it, I guess (I personally have no idea, because it has never occurred to me that this is the only way to say something to the world, but I can imagine that someone might find themselves in a situation like this).

Bitcoin transactions are irreversible and messages in Coinbase messages won't be deleted.

That's what I'm saying. If you find yourself in situation when all you write is constantly monitored and edited, you you use bitcoin network if have something to say to the world, and that's the answer to how can Bitcoin be used to promote free speech. Also you can with bitcoin for honest journalism in those countries where all press is under government control.

Yes, in many countries we see such a picture that every media outlet in all these countries is controlled by the government and if any new media outlet is created and if the government starts talking against it then they try to stop that media outlet and try to shut down their media outlet by imposing some kind of crime on them. So Bitcoin can be one of the means to protect ourselves from facing such problems.

Currently we are seeing many movements and in several countries students are protesting against the government and at this time Bitcoin is a very reliable means to continue the movement while protecting their privacy

[5W-KILO]

Yeah, that's a perfect example. I remember this being discussed in this board at the time when the Canadian government shut down the bank account of all those truck drivers and pushed them into the open arms of Bitcoin. It highlighted one of the most important characteristics of Bitcoin which is being censorship resistant.

The notable aspect here is that Bitcoin allowed people to donate via an alternative means when their normal donation methods were not working. There was no need for a bank or payment platform to approve the donations, which made Bitcoin censorship resistance practically useful.

Now imagine passing messages around in the same way, I believe this is exactly what OP wanted but unfortunately Bitcoin isn't build for that, I guess he will need to find it separately away from Bitcoin, maybe on the Blockchain.

I doubt If something like that exists and if it does it will be a big problem for this centralised world, the government exactly will have to kill it because they will worry that it will become a weapon of mass destruction for terrorists organisations.

Some part of me is happy that Bitcoin isn't built in such a way, it could have been seen as a bigger threat than what we are seeing right now, Bitcoin is best left the way it is, no any adjustments needed.

[Bitcoin-Forever]

Bitcoin is censorship-resistant; we need to build on that to create something that enables free speech.  How can we do that?

Every opportunity to use Bitcoin is being given as long as we know how to apply it properly; I've seen a number of people and industries that understand how important Bitcoin is as a decentralized currency and also engage with the use of blockchain technology for other applicable uses. Everything comes with demand in specific areas, and we need to make the necessary applications.

[Iamgoat]

Yes, in many countries we see such a picture that every media outlet in all these countries is controlled by the government and if any new media outlet is created and if the government starts talking against it then they try to stop that media outlet and try to shut down their media outlet by imposing some kind of crime on them. So Bitcoin can be one of the means to protect ourselves from facing such problems.

Currently we are seeing many movements and in several countries students are protesting against the government and at this time Bitcoin is a very reliable means to continue the movement while protecting their privacy

Good you pictured it from this angle, how about you also see bitcoin contributing to free speech from the financial part of it where many freedom fighters and activists are able to completely shift from the control of the government through the traditional centralized system to the decentralized one where they are able to make use of their funds independently without the fear of government making use of their centralized banking system to handicap them financially. I’ve seen many cases where an activist is completely blocked the access to funds because a bank has restricted him from touching his own money thereby slowing down the movement or resulting to the use of cash which also have its own limitations.

[Myleschetty]

Bitcoin is censorship-resistant; we need to build on that to create something that enables free speech.  How can we do that?

Bitcoin, based on its concept and the solution it offers, is already a freedom speech money. I believe we should concentrate on converting this property into robust infrastructure to ensure the speech remains online even if banks, payment processors, or governments attempt to shut it down. We can achieve this through self-custody holding.
For decentralized publishing with value transfer. The most practical stack right now includes Nostr (and similar protocols) along with lightning zaps.

[drangos]

Bitcoin indirectly contributes towards free speech by making it more difficult to block a person's funding by using a payment intermediary. Getting donations, however, is just the first hurdle: writers also need space for their work to be available. There are protocols such as Nostr which explore this, and even Lightning, which can enable for voluntary payments. One crucial difference is that Bitcoin isn't meant to be private nor does it prevent anyone from experiencing any of its effects. While the blockchain transactions are public, speech is still reliant on communication tools. A combination of open publishing protocols with payments that are resistant to censorship could make independent journalism more robust.

[Betwrong]

~ and that's the answer to how can Bitcoin be used to promote free speech. Also you can with bitcoin for honest journalism in those countries where all press is under government control.

Yes, in many countries we see such a picture that every media outlet in all these countries is controlled by the government and if any new media outlet is created and if the government starts talking against it then they try to stop that media outlet and try to shut down their media outlet by imposing some kind of crime on them. So Bitcoin can be one of the means to protect ourselves from facing such problems.~

Sometimes, the government tries to stop a media outlet it doesn't like by simply putting financial pressure on it. It cuts off the channels through which that media outlet gets its money. Such actions can kill a media outlet even without criminal persecution.

If people from abroad want to support that media outlet, the best way to do so is through Bitcoin. This is possible in more or less democratic countries. Of course, it's not possible in North Korea.

[Jerrycrypto2024]

In the world today freedom, of speech or freedom of any thing comes from been free from any dependency, natural the design of Bitcoin is already promoting speech some investor who sound to be activist in our society as well as some nation who passed through Bitcoin transaction to boycott certain sanctions by world bank express their dissatisfaction over the wrong doing of any world leaders without fear of frozen asset, today many youth who source of income depends on Bitcoin speak boldly without fear of some elite in the societies because his source of survival is not depending on any government control or establishment, as well know it's hard to speak against the finger feeding you one will always be afraid of being fired.

[Adiljutt156]

Yes, in many countries we see such a picture that every media outlet in all these countries is controlled by the government and if any new media outlet is created and if the government starts talking against it then they try to stop that media outlet and try to shut down their media outlet by imposing some kind of crime on them. So Bitcoin can be one of the means to protect ourselves from facing such problems.

Currently we are seeing many movements and in several countries students are protesting against the government and at this time Bitcoin is a very reliable means to continue the movement while protecting their privacy

Currently most countries are living under control, which is not controlled because as things are getting worse every day, there's nothing positive happening. Every human is facing problems and living life, which is not keeping him in a good state of mind. They are suffering because few people are trying to control everything, which is against the same nature law that applies to Bitcoin; it's also not controlled.

Movements and protests always happen because few want more than they are taking, which is not possible, or having nothing with them but behind them deep facts are completely different, as in the name of free speech they are doing things that are against human activities. Just because these conflicts are increasing and things are getting worse, maybe these could be more terrible.

[Faisal2202]

It is "free speech" infrastructure, more than payments. Because if the government cuts you off financially you'll soon be silenced.

I can't agree more, boy. Actually, money is a basic need, and even if you have it, if they stop everyone from taking it from you or seize all of it at once, you don't just become poor, you become their target with high priority.

You really gave a very good example of how BTC works as an alternative for those who want to live and make a difference by spreading the truth, but the moment they do something like that, their funds will be frozen, and not just due to their speech, but the state can do all this to suppress them and control their people as well. That's why I have heard several times that when they can control our money, they can easily control us.

[Orpichukwu]

‎I think Bitcoin can help in promoting speech by allowing  individual to receive and send money without asking permission from authority like bank or government.

It can fund a movement, but it can’t directly be the tool which will be used to promote the idea. The only job which Bitcoin will have to do with the idea of free speech is funding; if the organisation or group of people who are actually fighting for it are not determined enough, Bitcoin will only be found in their mix as another payment option used to extort those who believe in the movement or the organisation can use another name while having an interior motive.

[Rengga Jati]

Yes, in many countries we see such a picture that every media outlet in all these countries is controlled by the government and if any new media outlet is created and if the government starts talking against it then they try to stop that media outlet and try to shut down their media outlet by imposing some kind of crime on them. So Bitcoin can be one of the means to protect ourselves from facing such problems.

Currently we are seeing many movements and in several countries students are protesting against the government and at this time Bitcoin is a very reliable means to continue the movement while protecting their privacy

I thought it was only in my country that things were like this. The media's function was to disseminate news. But, the government ignored it. So, no news is 100% accurate and true to reality.

Lately, news regarding cryptocurrency in my country has actually been much better. In fact, some major parties have expressed positive views on crypto, as has the government through its regulations. But, in some other countries, the situation might be far worse. Who knows? That is precisely why there is so much debate surrounding it.

[PVequalNRT]

Bitcoin indirectly contributes towards free speech by making it more difficult to block a person's funding by using a payment intermediary. Getting donations, however, is just the first hurdle: writers also need space for their work to be available. There are protocols such as Nostr which explore this, and even Lightning, which can enable for voluntary payments. One crucial difference is that Bitcoin isn't meant to be private nor does it prevent anyone from experiencing any of its effects. While the blockchain transactions are public, speech is still reliant on communication tools. A combination of open publishing protocols with payments that are resistant to censorship could make independent journalism more robust.

Bitcoin is the weapon fashioned against governments because it's the one thing the government don't have power. If you are stand up today and agitate about how the government has become, the government will want to fight you back and if they know that your movement is strong and perhaps the international countries are watching, they don't fight back because they don't want to be seen as bad people but the will look for a way to block your fundings.

This is where Bitcoin freedom comes in. If you use fiat whether cash or from bank account, the government will do anything to cut those funds since they have power to talk to banks. One thing they can't do is the power on Bitcoin, this is like a big leverage for full freedom.

[nullius]

Bitcoin is censorship-resistant; we need to build on that to create something that enables free speech.  How can we do that?

Bitcoin is not censorship-resistant:  The UTXOs-as-AML-NFTs norm installs a de facto censor.

If you ever use an “AML checker”, or if you use any service that does, then you accept that Bitcoin is a censored shitcoin.

Accordingly, if you like Bitcoin, you need to think of ways to exercise free speech to restore Bitcoin to its proper purpose:  Censorship-resistant fungible money.