Vitalik Buterin Opposes US Surveillance Bill, Affirms The Role of Cryptocurrency in Upholding Freedom

Vitalik Buterin, the co-founder of Ethereum, has recently voiced against the reauthorization of a US surveillance bill. The well-known entrepreneur took to his official account to support the protest against the recent reauthorization of a chief surveillance authority with Section 702. The Ethereum co-founder asserted that dissimilar to conventional finance cryptocurrency protects the freedom of the users.

This is bad.

Crypto is not just about trading tokens, it's part of a broader ethos of protecting freedom and privacy and keeping power in the hands of the little guy.

And these values unfortunately continue to be under attack, globally. https://t.co/iFM932IBP6

— vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) April 20, 2024

Elizabeth Goitein Condemns Reauthorization of Section 702 of the US Surveillance Act

Elizabeth Goitein, a senior director of the Justice’s Liberty & National Security Program-based Brennan Center, condemned the respective reauthorization. She shared a series of posts on X to reflect on the matter. As per her, most of the senators started fearmongering and other such tactics to reauthorize Section 702. The Senate passed it after a vote of 60-34.

She disclosed that the reauthorization emerges as a very terrifying and dramatic extension of the surveillance authority of the government. With this, the National Security Agency can access the communication apparatus of nearly any business and individuals in the US. This lets the president spy on potential political enemies, ideological opponents, and journalists.

Vitalik Proposes Cryptocurrency as a Solution to the Infringement of Financial Privacy and Freedom

Although a huge contentious debate took place concerning privacy concerns, the Senate approved the bill. This has raised the eyebrows of the citizens and led the prominent figures to speak against it. Vitalik Buterin supported Elizabeth Goitein’s views, by saying that financial privacy and freedom are of vital importance. As per him, this is the point where crypto comes in. Cryptocurrency reportedly protects privacy and freedom.