RE: Importance of Crypto Anonymity
Great points! I've definitely been a little bit lax, and it's definitely an area I should improve on.
I really think that Black Mirror episode about the Social Media Scores really did cryptocurrency and blockchain such a massive favour... sure, you might never have anything to hide, but sometimes the system just works against you through no fault of your own.
It is ironic when people say they don't need to worry about their privacy because they have nothing to hide, and then will also complain about government decisions they don't like.
You can't always trust the systems... sometimes they are legitimately stupid... or dishonest. As everything gets more and more connected, it's adds to more convenience, but it also makes it easier for bad actors to take advantage. Privacy = control. Giving away control over you rarely ends well for you.
Yes. I barely recall the Black Mirror episodes, but the Chinese "Social Credit" system currently being rolled out should be enough to give anyone pause about just how far their own government may try to go at some point. Also, have you ever watched the Snowden movie? I watched it not long ago and I recall one of his statements at the end very clearly. It said that part of why it was important to do what he did was not that he was against the current American administration (at that time Obama), but rather because if he left the system in place, when a less benevolent leader came to power they would effectively have "turnkey tyranny" at their fingertips. How prescient that wound up being! Can you imagine such systems in the hands of the current American president!