1/ The biggest mistake of the Internet era was believing platforms could be value-neutral. As we learned, software without ethics will be usurped by oligarchs & tyrants
The promise of crypto-networks is to codify human freedoms in software so these freedoms cannot be co-opted👇
The promise of crypto-networks is to codify human freedoms in software so these freedoms cannot be co-opted👇
2/ We mistakenly thought the Internet was value-neutral. That 0 marginal cost was egalitarian. This was false.
Network effects unfurl unchecked and users cannot exit these systems. Central services are easily co-opted. The Internet converged to digital Feudalism and Oligopoly.
Network effects unfurl unchecked and users cannot exit these systems. Central services are easily co-opted. The Internet converged to digital Feudalism and Oligopoly.
3/ Small companies are subject to the whims of a few large digital “land” owners.
Individuals are subject to the whims of digital monarchs who track our every movement and can single-handedly cut us off from the digital economy.
Individuals are subject to the whims of digital monarchs who track our every movement and can single-handedly cut us off from the digital economy.
4/ Regulation won't work. Well-intentioned govts consistently fail to out-execute bad actors on the Internet.
We can do in the digital realm what many have done in the real world: emigrate to new territory
This time, we can encode our values directly into the digital platforms
We can do in the digital realm what many have done in the real world: emigrate to new territory
This time, we can encode our values directly into the digital platforms
5/ Fortunately, we do not have to reinvent the rights we wish to encode in software.
People repeatedly fight for the same fundamental rights -- freedom of speech and thought, freedom of assembly, freedom from unreasonable search and seizure, a right to privacy, etc.
People repeatedly fight for the same fundamental rights -- freedom of speech and thought, freedom of assembly, freedom from unreasonable search and seizure, a right to privacy, etc.
6/ Though we believe certain freedoms to be self-evident, platforms that encode these freedoms are not guaranteed to win.
In fact, there is a risk we regress. Platforms will emerge with value systems far worse than the Internet for individual freedoms.
In fact, there is a risk we regress. Platforms will emerge with value systems far worse than the Internet for individual freedoms.
7/ Some will argue platforms with fewer freedoms are better, using arguments that have failed in the past: “Why do you need privacy if you have nothing to hide?”
Because these arguments have failed in the past does not mean these arguments or their proponents will fail again
Because these arguments have failed in the past does not mean these arguments or their proponents will fail again
8/ In the long term, our value system can only win if the software encoded with our ethics creates the most utility for people, businesses, and governments. This will take years.
In the short term, we must make our case using language that people understand.
In the short term, we must make our case using language that people understand.
9/ Rather than talking in technical terms, we need to communicate with terms familiar to everyone.
Privacy aware, decentralized networks protect freedom of speech, create more transparent markets, protect us from unreasonable search and seizure, and help preserve due process
Privacy aware, decentralized networks protect freedom of speech, create more transparent markets, protect us from unreasonable search and seizure, and help preserve due process
10/ We must also acknowledge these new software systems are not a panacea for all of society’s challenges. We have open and pressing problems in healthcare, climate, energy, education, and many other areas.
11/ But if we cannot speak freely, if we suppress fringe thinkers, and we allow oligarchs to stifle innovation, we will have lost our ability to find novel solutions to our most pressing problems.
We make progress when ideas on the fringe are free to enter the mainstream.
We make progress when ideas on the fringe are free to enter the mainstream.
12/ Now that we understand software is actually an opinionated delivery mechanism for human values, we must seize the opportunity to codify our values in to the next generation of software, so that our basic freedoms cannot be co-opted again.
13/ Hat tip to @mariashen and @puntium for helping craft this tweetstorm and the @ideocolab #CryptoTwitterIRL event for the impetus to write it down.
