BlockDown: DeData is a very famous platform for discussions about cryptocurrency, blockchain, and other disruptive technology. In its Friday edition, the conference will feature renowned intelligence officer and whistleblower Edward Snowden.
Edward Snowden came to the limelight when he leaked classified files of the National Security Agency in 2013. The leaked files revealed a dark secret that the United States and other governments have been hiding from their citizens for a long time. These documents revealed that the government has full autonomy in tracking the movement and data of any United States citizen. There was a serious breach of privacy, and Edward Snowden has been fleeing the country since the leaks. In the course of his long hiatus from the United States, he had to use cryptocurrency at various times to sustain himself. Snowden will mostly discover the role of cryptocurrencies in his journey in the hour-long fireside chat. Crypto enthusiasts are eager to know what Snowden has to say, and how he relates cryptocurrency to the problem of privacy.
For a long time now, cryptocurrency has been intrinsically linked with crimes. Privacy-focused cryptocurrencies have played an important role in hiding the identity of these perpetrators. However, there is another side to the coin. These privacy-focused tokens help people escape government surveillance and tracking. Not having a secure, private channel of transactions means that the government has information about every transaction. It is a scary prospect considering the rise in surveillance in some of the authoritarian countries.
