On getting "dusted" by Tornado Cash-tarnished funds:
Technically you are still liable! And you still have to report all blocked funds to OFAC.
...but they won't delay processing your report of blocked property.
On using Tornado Cash at all:
No, absolutely not, nein, nyet, non.
On the mere mention of (whispers) *Tornado Cash* being a punishable thought crime:
It's not a thought crime!
You can:
- copy the code
- discuss it
- show it to others
- include it in written text
And...that's it.
What of course OFAC fails to address here is the sanctity of deployed Ethereum code as speech.
In other words, if I deploy credibly neutral technology that ends up being used by adversaries of the United States, OFAC is saying by omission that they can still levy sanctions.
Before you get mega upset, it's worth noting that the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has a very specific purpose and mission:
To serve America's national security and foreign policy interests.
It's an intelligence agency, not a regulator.
In other words, OFAC doesn't know or need to know about Ethereum, consumer privacy, immutable contracts.
That's not its mandate.
It knows:
North Korea bad.
Tornado Cash seem help North Korea.
Tornado Cash bad.
Me do sanction.
It's sort of like the CIA seeing that North Korea used Tornado Cash, except instead of sending SEAL Team 6 to execute an extralegal assassination of the devs, it used its mandate to freeze assets in place.
So don't get it twisted:
OFAC is only here a regulator in the Warren G sense of the word--by depriving foreign adversaries of access to U.S. (and U.S. citizens') assets.
The history of OFAC as an intelligence agency is actually fascinating, but that's for another thread.
Making an announcement soon? Don't hire a PR agency.
Definitely not through Series A, and maybe not ever.
You can execute PR internally with a junior resource without having to pay a $50K / month retainer.
Here are the basics in <5 minutes (bookmark this):
First, I take it when we're talking about public relations, we mean just the part that means "relationships with journalists" and not marketing or social media or "comms."
So to understand PR, you have to understand journalism and what makes something newsworthy.
Journalists are typically underpaid and overworked.
They enter the business for noble reasons (truth seeking, justice, accountability) but are constantly pushed to act against those ideals in order to drive ratings and views.
Hearing from a few teams who are scrambling to get a marketing strategy in place before we go parabolic.
You're fine. If you're struggling with narrative and positioning here's what to do in the next 30 days.
Plus 1 thing you absolutely should NOT do:
1) Founders: start tweeting every single weekday.
Four single posts, one long post.
No excuses. Drop whatever it is you're doing, stare at the screen, get it done. Marketing leaders: literally sit next to your CEO and encourage them.
Pat them on the head. Give them treats.
An A++ personal feed should look varied, with some mix of:
- explainers
- insights / "takes"
- shilling your project
- media (video, pictures)
- retweets of your partners & ecosystem
If you are just doing 1 content vertical, challenge yourself to vary it up. Do one type a day.
"White House confirms US has intelligence on Russian anti-satellite capability"
Here's what would happen if an adversary took out America's global positioning system:
(+ why you should have 30 days of supplies)
People are sleeping on the threat of anti-satellite weapons.
Even the White House downplayed the threat.
Spokesman John Kirby said it was "troubling," but claimed no immediate threat and that anti-satellite weapons couldn't cause physical destruction on Earth's surface.
So why then are anti-satellite weapons so "troubling?"
Because destroying GPS--a constellation of 31 satellites owned and operated by the US government--would send us back to the stone ages.