Susie on Nostr: In early 2023 on @GBNews I warned that central bank digital currencies could become ...

In early 2023 on @GBNews I warned that central bank digital currencies could become programmable money.

Money that can be limited, directed, monitored or linked to policy goals.

At the time, many people thought this sounded extreme.

The Bank of England’s Digital Pound Lab is now trialling use cases involving programmable payments and smart contracts.

Across the EU, the Digital Euro is moving forward, while member states are required to provide EU Digital Identity Wallets by the end of 2026. 

In the UK, digital ID, age verification and the Online Safety Act are all expanding the infrastructure for digital authoritarianism.

Financial freedom depends on preserving the ability to transact without permission.

Bitcoin is a peaceful way to opt out.

Speaking about this on stage at @BTCPrague. Details below.

quoting
nevent1q…n83h

CBDCs are financial surveillance with better branding. They are being be sold as innovation, convenient and inclusive.

Once money becomes programmable, freedom becomes conditional.

- Who decides what you can buy?
- Who decides where you can spend?
- Who decides when your access ends?

The Czech Republic knows what centralised power looks like and BTCPrague (npub167n…zu3r) has always felt like the right place to talk about bitcoin, cypherpunks and financial freedom.

I’ll be moderating a panel on how to defend against CBDCs and surveillance with efenigson (nprofile…yd3x) , Lea Thompson, Viliam Klamarčík and Tony Yazbeck.

Read the article here:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/digital-assets/2024/06/17/bitcoin-cypherpunks-and-financial-freedom-at-btc-prague/

See you in Prague.