Privacy

Could Central Bank Digital Currencies Threaten Privacy?
The adoption of China’s digital yuan is expanding ahead of the Beijing Winter Olympics, despite some analysts warning central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) could threaten consumer privacy. CoinDesk’s David Morris shares insights into the path towards a digital dollar and privacy considerations.

Monero: The Privacy Coin Explained
Justin Ehrenhofer, VP of Operations at Cake Wallet, an open-source, noncustodial crypto wallet for bitcoin, litecoin, and privacy coin monero, explains monero and zero-knowledge proofs, and their benefits to preserving privacy on the blockchain. “Monero is the easiest way to transact privately,” Ehrenhofer said.

US Treasury: Unhosted Crypto Wallet Rule Will Be Considered in 2022
The U.S. Treasury Department revealed a controversial rule enforcing know-your-customer (KYC) rules on unhosted or self-hosted crypto wallets might be considered in its semiannual agenda of regulations, set to be formally published in the Federal Register on Jan. 31. The rule was first proposed in late 2020 by U.S. money-laundering watchdog FinCEN. "The Hash" squad discusses the latest in crypto regulation threatening user privacy.

Crypto OG Zooko on State of Digital and Financial Privacy in Crypto as Industry Evolves
Early cypherpunk Zooko Wilcox, CEO of Electronic Coin Company (ECC), the creator of privacy-focused, blockchain-based payments network Zcash, discusses the current state of privacy in crypto. "Everyone's everything has already been hacked and exploited," Zooko said. "At some point, it's going to be easier to buy a new Social Security Number from the dark web than to convince someone to take your real Social Security Number." Plus, the latest updates to Zcash, thoughts on CBDCs, and more.

Apple to Allow Collection of iPhone User Data for Targeted Ads
According to the Financial Times, Apple has reportedly allowed app developers to harvest data from its 1 billion iPhone users for targeted advertising, letting companies follow a looser interpretation of its privacy policy. ”The Hash” team discusses the latest in the world of privacy, potentially illuminating the need for blockchain tech.

Meta Builds Tool to Fight Revenge Porn Using Unique Digital Fingerprints
Meta, the parent organization of Facebook, has teamed up with the U.K.-based nonprofit Revenge Porn Helpline to stop the spread of non-consensual intimate images via a “hash-matching technology.” “The Hash” squad discusses how it works and the possible repercussions for user privacy.

Feds Can Get Your WhatsApp Data in Real Time, FBI Document Says
A previously unreported FBI document obtained by Rolling Stone shows data on “private” messaging apps WhatsApp and iMessage can easily be monitored and harvested by the bureau. Could blockchain technology solve our growing privacy issue?



