Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin supporting Privacy: ‘Privacy is freedom’

The excerpt discusses the importance of privacy in a world where technology is increasingly collecting and analyzing personal data. The author argues that privacy is not just about individual freedom, but also about creating a stable and functioning society. They highlight three key reasons why privacy is essential:

1. Freedom: Privacy gives individuals the space to live their lives without constant worry about how their actions will be perceived.
2. Order: Privacy is necessary for the basic functioning of society, as it prevents side games and external incentives from overwhelming the decision-making process.
3. Progress: Privacy enables the sharing of information selectively, unlocking value and accelerating technological and social progress.

The author also discusses the risks of government backdoors, citing the instability of policing corporate entities and the potential for data to be hacked or abused. They argue that strong privacy is the most stable alternative, and that programmable cryptography is the most trustworthy solution.

The excerpt also touches on the future of AI and its potential impact on privacy. The author suggests that a combination of techniques, including local computation, cryptography, and hardware verification, can help preserve privacy in a world where AI is increasingly collecting and analyzing personal data.

Key Takeaways

• Privacy is essential for individual freedom, societal order, and progress.
• Government backdoors are unstable and can lead to data abuse.
• Programmable cryptography is the most trustworthy solution for preserving privacy.
• AI will increasingly collect and analyze personal data, and techniques like local computation, cryptography, and hardware verification can help preserve privacy.