The Unchained Web Daily #118

If you enjoy and find value in the newsletter, please feel free to donate for its upkeep and independent nature as much as you think is fair:

Monero Wallet Address:

42EkgN23XZoLJXrgMJjrRM7jYpmirk1WvWUWc2SDF6kZAXVzHMGy5XB8JM8Vce3iHGKh9H8ACWF9J6ErrfKCP48mL2yeWcw

Bitcoin Wallet Address: bc1q4283c60tv2p7exfeu2ql7dk2n7utswgl43n2fk

ETH & ERC-20 Address: 0xD16429e3F253f50CfF306B2bE8966ce935332116

BNB & BRC-20 Address: 0xD16429e3F253f50CfF306B2bE8966ce935332116

Reclaim (some) Privacy Webinar Series: Intro to SearXNG & other privacy engines

In April, I am planning my first webinar in a series focused on privacy. The specific webinar will be focused on why Google may not be the best search engine to use and the SearXNG meta search engine and how it can be used to enhance privacy when using a search engine to research or find something to one's interest.

If you are interested in the topic, feel free to click "attend" on the link to the event below: https://www.dhirubhai.net/events/7167975601373458433/about/

Immunologist Hounded For The Tweets He “Liked,” Resigns

Mark Tykocinski, President of Thomas Jefferson University, has resigned due to pressure from student activists who were angered by his liking of certain tweets. The tweets he engaged with included perspectives from an activist against gender transitioning for minors and a statement from Donald Trump Jr. The students' discontent highlighted debates on current topics, such as concerns about gender affirmation procedures. Despite apologizing and explaining his actions, Tykocinski's resignation underscores the influence of cancel culture in academia and raises concerns about the diminishing freedom to express opinions on contentious issues. Click here for more.

Site of YouTube Ripper Goes Down After Court Order

The youtube-dl tool, an open-source software, faced legal action from music industry giants due to copyright concerns. GitHub reinstated the tool after a takedown notice, but later, music labels targeted its hosting site, Uberspace. A German court ruled against Uberspace, leading to a website block. Despite this, Uberspace plans to appeal, citing risks of privatized censorship. The conflict reflects the tension between open-source freedom and copyright enforcement. Click here for more.

X CEO Linda Yaccarino: “Lawful But Awful” Content To Be Hidden

Linda Yaccarino, former NBC advertising executive and current CEO of X (formerly Twitter), emphasized her autonomy in managing the platform's operations and discussed content moderation approaches. She outlined the concept of "freedom of speech, not freedom of reach," which involves labeling and reducing visibility of content that doesn't meet approved standards. Some see this as a potential step towards censorship, while others appreciate efforts against harmful content. Her approach has sparked debates about online platforms' moderation direction and its impact on free speech. Click here for more.

Kraken outpaces Coinbase as most liquid US exchange for altcoins: Kaiko

California's Kraken crypto exchange has become the primary altcoin trading market in the U.S., surpassing competitors like Coinbase. Kraken holds 47% of the market depth for the top 10 altcoins, indicating its capacity to manage large buy or sell orders without impacting prices. Despite the industry-wide trend of declining volumes, Kraken's market share among exchanges supporting USD deposits has grown from around 8.3% in August 2022 to 21.1% in July 2023. Kraken attributes this success to its enhanced offering, particularly its advanced trading platform Kraken Pro. Click here for more.

Binance is applying to get registered in Taiwan for AML compliance: sources

Binance, the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange, is seeking registration under Taiwan's Money Laundering Control Act, the country's primary crypto regulation. The Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) informed local crypto service providers that Binance is applying for anti-money laundering compliance. Taiwan requires virtual asset service providers (VASPs) to follow anti-money laundering laws, but the industry remains largely unregulated. Binance's presence in Taiwan includes a local entity. The FSC plans to release broader VASP guidelines by September and is considering a new bureau for crypto-related matters. Lawmakers proposed the amendment to bolster crypto industry oversight. Click here for more.

Argentina says it's investigating Worldcoin over data privacy

Argentina's Public Information Access Agency is investigating the Worldcoin Foundation, a crypto project co-founded by Sam Altman. The government plans to analyze the project's data collection, storage, and usage practices and will take actions to address any issues found. The project involved scanning faces and eyes for compensation in Buenos Aires and other provinces. The government sees this case as a reason to reinforce the legal framework for personal data protection. Earlier, Kenya suspended the project due to operational concerns after signing up a significant number of people. Click here for more.

Aragon Mulled Sale of Crypto Project, Leaked Screenshot Shows

The Aragon Association, a major decentralized governance project, faced pressure from activist investors concerning its $180 million treasury. It reportedly explored selling the project in June to an undisclosed bidder. An investigative report accused the association of mismanagement of its treasury and potential noncompliance with Swiss nonprofit law. Activist investors gathered ANT governance tokens to influence Aragon DAO's decisions on managing the treasury. Aragon cancelled plans to give token holders control over the treasury due to growing activist influence. Tensions escalated, leading to the removal of public documents and bans on suspected activist investors from its Discord. Click here for more.

Digital Currency Group Wants 'Hodgepodge' Gemini Lawsuit Tossed Out

Digital Currency Group (DCG) and CEO Barry Silbert filed a motion to dismiss a lawsuit brought by Gemini Trust Company. Gemini accused DCG and Silbert of misleading them about Genesis, owned by DCG, filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Gemini alleged Silbert concealed that Genesis was "massively insolvent" due to losses from the Three Arrows Capital hedge fund collapse. DCG's counsel argued that Gemini didn't explain how Silbert's presentation was fraudulent and contended that other allegations concern Genesis, not DCG or Silbert. DCG and Silbert asserted they had little involvement in Gemini Earn, the program at the center of the dispute. Click here for more.

Canada to develop repository for storing crypto and NFT seizures

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) is seeking a digital asset solution to facilitate the seizure and storage of cryptocurrencies and NFTs. They've opened a tender for applications to develop a centralized repository that allows user-friendly seizure and secure storage. The solution is required to process transactions for the top 20 cryptocurrency blockchains by market capitalization and support scalability for future blockchains. Access to data will be granted to authorized users, and Ethereum, Solana, and Polygon-based NFT holding capabilities are also required. Security features including private key protection, disposal process, and daily verification are necessary, alongside a native Android mobile app. The RCMP recently began using Chainalysis software for crypto tracing in cybercrime investigations. Click here for more.

California commission outlines campaign disclosure requirements for crypto

The California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) has updated campaign disclosure manuals to include detailed rules for declaring cryptocurrency contributions. The revisions reflect changes in legislation and regulations. The updates cover various aspects including contribution limits, disclosure requirements for limited liability companies, advertising, and cryptocurrency contributions. Political committees can solicit cryptocurrency contributions under specific conditions but are barred from accepting them in peer-to-peer transactions. Cryptocurrency donations must go through U.S.-based payment processors registered with the U.S. Department of Treasury and follow KYC protocols. Payment processors need to collect contributor information and convert crypto to USD promptly. Cryptocurrency contributions are considered non-monetary and must be reported as such by committees. Click here for more.

Visa explores crypto gas fees payments through cards

Visa is testing a novel solution that enables users to pay on-chain gas fees using a Visa card. This solution aims to address the challenge of managing Ethereum balances for gas fees. Instead of users having to acquire and manage ETH separately for gas fees, Visa's solution employs Ethereum's ERC-4337 standard and a "paymaster" smart contract for off-chain gas fee settlement. The user triggers an Ethereum transaction via their wallet, which is then sent to the paymaster. The web service calculates the gas fee, charges Visa, and after validation, the fee is covered. This innovation could reduce friction for blockchain users and pave the way for merchants and dApps to enable gas fee payments using Visa cards. Click here for more.

Canadians have ‘weak incentives’ to use a CBDC: Bank of Canada

A Bank of Canada paper suggests that the adoption of a central bank digital currency (CBDC) by the typical Canadian might be limited due to weak incentives. The paper examined the potential role of a CBDC in a scenario where cash is nearly eliminated. It found that most Canadians already have access to bank accounts, credit cards, and internet connectivity, diminishing the perceived benefits of a CBDC. Replacing cash with a digital currency could reduce payment options for tech-averse individuals and leave cash-dependent individuals without viable alternatives. The paper emphasized the ongoing importance of cash, particularly in emergency situations, and suggested non-CBDC solutions for aiding the underbanked, such as improving internet access and low-cost bank accounts. Click here for more.

Aave DAO opens voting on proposals to reduce CRV exposure

The Aave community is taking measures to reduce protocol exposure to the Curve DAO token due to the significant borrowing position held by Curve Finance founder Michael Egorov. Egorov used over 30% of Curve DAO's total market capitalization as collateral to borrow nearly $60 million on Aave v2. However, Curve DAO's recent hack led to a vulnerable position for Egorov due to a drop in token price. Aave tokenholders are voting on two proposals until August 12: one aims to reduce the liquidation threshold for CRV on Aave v2, while the other seeks to disable borrowing of CRV via the Aave protocol. Another proposal calls for Aave Treasury to buy $2 million worth of CRV tokens from Curve to support the ecosystem's health. These moves come in response to concerns about the impact of Egorov's loans on Aave's stability. Click here for more.

If you enjoy and find value in the newsletter, please feel free to donate for its upkeep and independent nature as much as you think is fair:

Monero Wallet Address:

42EkgN23XZoLJXrgMJjrRM7jYpmirk1WvWUWc2SDF6kZAXVzHMGy5XB8JM8Vce3iHGKh9H8ACWF9J6ErrfKCP48mL2yeWcw

Bitcoin Wallet Address: bc1q4283c60tv2p7exfeu2ql7dk2n7utswgl43n2fk

ETH & ERC-20 Address: 0xD16429e3F253f50CfF306B2bE8966ce935332116

BNB & BRC-20 Address: 0xD16429e3F253f50CfF306B2bE8966ce935332116

Reclaim (some) Privacy Webinar Series: Intro to SearXNG & other privacy engines

In April, I am planning my first webinar in a series focused on privacy. The specific webinar will be focused on why Google may not be the best search engine to use and the SearXNG meta search engine and how it can be used to enhance privacy when using a search engine to research or find something to one's interest.

If you are interested in the topic, feel free to click "attend" on the link to the event below: https://www.dhirubhai.net/events/7167975601373458433/about/

Brought to you by Alexandros Dolgov CBA? (Study/Bitcoin)