You're kidding, right? I mean, collecting that kind of data when we're struggling to stay as anonymous as possible, kind of makes me giggle... and then get seriously worried.

Sorry for the bluntness, but I for one tell no one my age

20-30yo, has penis, lives on island.

Thank you, you're too kind. And the nice words totally offset you calling me predictable, so we're good


I didn't mean to say no one will answer. I would answer the poll, but I'd just lie about the 'too personal' question that allow anyone that lays hands on this data (who controls it? how safe is it?) to gain leverage on me. Country? sure, there's 10 million here and it's a very small country, but age? Too specific. Suddenly it's 27k possibilities where I live, taking 365 days in a year into account. Add gender and it halves that. Gather some more data from the thread posts and you know who I am. No can do.

Many will answer because they feel it's a service to the community, getting to know our demographics, but is it? We're opening the door to exposing unknowing users to getting their details on the wild, and remember although we are not all zealots, we all should be aware of the real danger of, if this thing gets raided, things getting ugly for all that traded bitcoins. I don't live in the US (obviously) so I'll be safe, but is everyone else?

I'm not trying to convince you either way, but I'm not one of the 'crazy privacy freaks'... well, maybe I am, but still I just feel very uncomfortable when the unwanted disclosures that may hurt us are started from within the community itself, with the best intentions I'm sure, but that's just too much detail you're asking imho.

Your points are well taken.  I'm sorry if I overstepped.  And you're correct, my intentions were good.  I merely did not realize how easily such general data could be used to track down an individual, especially if the tracker is determined and well funded.  My bad!

That being said, it seems like most of the eminent risk is going to fall on our community's entrepreneurs.  They are either going to have to raise their prices to offset the extra risk they are taking on our anonymous behalf, or we need to come up with a whole new entrepreneurial framework where these risks can be spread among the voluntary participants.  Either way, I'm in!

Just thought: why not create a poll? So here it is: https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dDdnZmtuWTA2bnVhTy1sU2NNZjN1RGc6MQ
They should be pretty anonymous and I'll publish the results and the raw data