The Unchained Web Daily #157

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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/

Irish Justice Minister To Grant Police Sweeping Powers To Intercept Private Conversations on Social Media Sites Under New Legislation

The Irish government is set to grant the Garda - the national police force - expansive surveillance powers over private online conversations, a move framed as a response to recent events in Dublin, including protests and riots following a tragic stabbing. This shift in focus from the crime itself to its aftermath and the protests is seen as an attempt to mitigate anti-migrant sentiments. Opposition leaders accuse the government of evading the real issues, while Justice Minister Helen McEntee pushes for unprecedented police powers, including access to location data and private messages on platforms like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger. The situation raises concerns about Ireland's commitment to online privacy and the potential implications of these new powers. For more, click here .

Ireland’s New Media Commission Is Calling on the Public To Report Any “Hate Speech” They See Online to the Police

In response to the recent stabbing attack at a school in Ireland, the government is focusing on regulating speech rather than addressing the incident's root causes. Media Minister Catherine Martin has urged the public to report online hate speech to the police and has discussed a new Media Commission, an "online safety and media" regulator. This move is seen as an extension of the EU Digital Services Act's efforts to control both unlawful and, potentially, lawful speech on the internet. The establishment of this commission, which predates the attack, has been fast-tracked in its aftermath, leading to collaboration between social media companies, the Irish police, and the European Commission. Critics view this as an attempt to quash anti-migrant sentiments and speech criticizing those who commit such violent acts. The focus on "online safety" over physical safety and the ability for individuals to report directly to the Commission for perceived platform inaction are seen as controversial and possibly tone-deaf in the current context. For more, click here .

UK Taxman Wants Crypto Owners to Disclose Unreported Gains

The UK's HM Revenue and Customs has launched a new voluntary disclosure program for undeclared cryptocurrency gains, targeting earnings from crypto exchange tokens, NFTs, and utility tokens. This initiative is part of a broader effort to combat tax evasion, following a similar program for non-crypto taxes. With estimates suggesting a high percentage of crypto holders might be non-compliant with tax laws, experts advise seeking professional guidance due to the complexity of crypto taxation. This move aligns with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's broader strategy of encouraging investment through tax cuts, while simultaneously tightening regulations on crypto tax evasion. The government plans to enhance its oversight by requiring crypto exchanges to share customer data starting in 2027, and considering powers for HM Revenue and Customs to seize digital assets in cases of tax evasion. For more, click here .

How Chinese AI Firms Are Standing Their Ground Amid US Crackdown?

Facing restrictions and sanctions from the US, Chinese AI companies are actively seeking domestic alternatives to counter the impact on their AI development. To challenge Nvidia, the world's largest chipmaker, significant investments are being made in local firms. Shanghai Biren Intelligent Technology Co. received approximately $280 million from Guangzhou government-backed investors and is looking for additional funding from the Hong Kong government. Another startup, Moore Threads, raised substantial funds in a Series-B round. These efforts are crucial for companies like Baidu and Tencent Holdings, which have been reliant on Nvidia chips for AI development. Baidu is advancing with its AI model, claiming to rival OpenAI's GPT-4, while Alibaba has introduced an AI model with enhanced capabilities. These moves are in direct response to the US Commerce Department's AI chip restrictions aimed at preventing China's military advancement with such technology. For more, click here .

Microsoft Channels Billions into UK-Based AI Safety Measures

Microsoft is set to make a major investment in artificial intelligence (AI) in the United Kingdom, focusing on expanding its datacenter footprint, training over a million people for AI-related jobs, and enhancing AI safety and research. This initiative will involve collaborations with the UK government and prestigious universities like Cambridge and Oxford. Key areas of investment include AI infrastructure, talent development, and safety measures. Microsoft also aims to make its responsible AI learning modules available to the public, further boosting AI job opportunities in the UK. This move follows other significant AI developments by Microsoft, including the integration of AI for assisting blind users in customer service using OpenAI's GPT-4 model. For more, click here .

Coinbase Has No Plans to Launch Base Token: CEO Brian Armstrong

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong confirmed in an interview with Decrypt that the company has no plans to launch a token for its layer-2 network, Base, contradicting a previous statement by Coinbase's Chief Legal Officer, Paul Grewal. Armstrong expressed satisfaction with Base's growth, noting its $500 million total value locked and a million wallets interacting since its August launch. Base, built on Ethereum's Optimism stack, aims for broader crypto community integration and not just to be a Coinbase-centric project. Armstrong emphasized Coinbase's commitment to enhancing transaction speeds and costs, aiming for transactions under one second and one cent, partly through layer-2 solutions like Base and others. This commitment extends to integrating technologies like Bitcoin's Lightning Network and fast layer-1 networks such as Solana. Armstrong also commented on the broader crypto industry's move towards layer-2 solutions and welcomed the idea of industry consolidation around a few layer-2 networks, despite other exchanges like Kraken and OKX exploring their own layer-2 solutions. For more, click here .

Madeira seeks to boost economy with startups, innovative payment system

Portugal's Madeira archipelago is actively seeking to transform its economy by attracting startups and tech talent, especially in the Web3 and blockchain sectors. The local government is leveraging Madeira's stunning natural beauty and offering enticing tax benefits through its free trade zone, which houses nearly 30% of emerging-technology companies. These benefits include one of the lowest corporate tax rates in the EU and capital gains tax exemptions. Notably, companies like Yacooba Labs are at the forefront, using blockchain for innovative solutions like ticketing. Madeira is also focusing on IT education and developing a blockchain-based payment network to facilitate tourist transactions and streamline government operations. The region is positioning itself as a testbed for new technologies, a role it has historically played in Portugal. The Madeira Blockchain 2023 conference highlights this shift, attracting global Web3 companies and showcasing future business models and technologies. For more, click here .

Nayib Bukele steps down as El Salvador’s President ahead of re-election bid

El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele, known for his pro-crypto policies and efforts in reducing the country's homicide rate, has resigned to focus on his 2024 re-election campaign. His resignation was approved by the country's Legislative Assembly on Dec. 1, and he will be succeeded by Acting President Claudia Rodríguez de Guevara until the next general election in February 2024. Bukele's tenure, beginning in June 2019, was marked by significant moves like adopting Bitcoin as legal tender and proposing a 'Bitcoin City' powered by volcanic energy. Despite a notable drop in the homicide rate, his administration faced criticism for alleged human rights violations in its crackdown on gang activities, as reported by the United Nations human rights office. The possibility of his re-election follows a September 2021 ruling by El Salvador's Supreme Court, which allows a president to serve two consecutive terms, modifying the prior constitutional requirement of a ten-year gap between terms. For more, click here .

Swiss crypto bank Seba rebrands to Amina amid global expansion

Seba Bank AG, a major Swiss cryptocurrency-enabled bank, has rebranded to Amina Bank AG as part of its global expansion strategy. The name change, announced on Nov. 30, arose from a similarity with Sweden's SEB Bank. The new name, Amina, reflects the bank's mission to integrate traditional, digital, and crypto banking. This rebranding coincides with the bank's international growth, having recently obtained licenses in Hong Kong and Abu Dhabi for crypto trading services. CEO Franz Bergmueller highlighted Amina's focus on key regions: Switzerland, Abu Dhabi, and the Asia-Pacific area, including Hong Kong and Singapore. Despite the rebranding, operations will continue as usual for Amina's clients. Established in 2018, Amina has been pivotal in the crypto ecosystem, enabling financial institutions like Switzerland's St.Galler Kantonalbank to offer digital asset services. For more, click here .

Crypto thieves steal $363M in Nov, the most ‘damaging’ month this year

November 2023 has been marked as the most damaging month for cryptocurrency theft, scams, and exploits in the year, with a total loss of $363 million reported by blockchain security firm CertiK. The majority of this loss, around $316.4 million, resulted from various exploits, while flash loans caused $45.5 million in damages, and exit scams accounted for $1.1 million. Significant incidents included major exploits on Poloniex and HTX/Heco Bridge, with losses of $131.4 million and $113.3 million respectively, and a $27 million loss from a phishing attack on a single victim. The $45 million KyberSwap attack represented a substantial portion of the flash loan attack damages. This record-breaking month surpasses the previous high of $329 million in September, largely due to the $200 million Mixin Network attack. The cumulative loss for 2023 is now approximately $1.7 billion, which is 54% of the $3.7 billion lost in 2022. These incidents underscore the growing sophistication of crypto criminals and the urgent need for enhanced security measures in the blockchain and crypto industry. For more, click here .

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)