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Effort to improve internet privacy inspired by being sued by Scientology

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Effort to improve internet privacy inspired by being sued by Scientology.

Medium: BIP 75 — Improving blockchain usability and privacy

https://medium.com/@justinwnewton/h...usability-and-privacy-543305a659ed#.2rt44gb4f

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Justin W. Newton
Founder/CEO Netki

BIP 75 — Improving blockchain usability and privacy

I wanted to take a moment to share some of the history of how and why I originally proposed what is now known as BIP75. In order to get the full context, let’s first go back a few decades, to the mid ‘90’s when the Internet was first starting to really take off. We were at a point in time that was pretty similar to where we are at in the blockchain ecosystem now. We all knew that we were building a world changing technology, and it was critical that early designs and decisions had to set us on the right path for the future. There was even fierce debate between engineers about the best way to scale the network. Sound familiar? ;)

SUED BY SCIENTOLOGY

Another similarity between then and now is the importance of doing the right thing for the ecosystem and our users. In August of 1995, I was running technology for an ISP called Digital Gateway Systems, based outside of Washington D.C. During a typical day at the office, I answered the phone fully expecting a normal customer call. It was not. The person on the other end of the line was Helena Kobrin, then legal counsel for the Religious Technology Center. For those of you who are not familiar, they are responsible for managing all the super secret documents of the Church of Scientology. Apparently, one of our users, Arne Lerma, had posted some materials on our servers for which the Church claimed they held a copyright. I informed Ms. Korbrin that I would be more than happy to take the materials down, if they sent me proof of the copyright. They refused. In that moment, I knew that we were at a critical point, and understood how important it was to set the right precedent in terms of preserving the rights of Internet users moving forward. The entire DGS team knew that the Church of Scientology was on a lawsuit rampage, and that this was going to get very costly, very fast. Rather than backing down to their demands we (myself, the engineering team, and the exec team) chose to forgo our salaries in order to fight back for the rights of our users, future users, and for the ecosystem as a whole. DGS was named in the lawsuit and we got served a few days later.

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Lulu Belle

Moonbat
SUED BY SCIENTOLOGY

Another similarity between then and now is the importance of doing the right thing for the ecosystem and our users. In August of 1995, I was running technology for an ISP called Digital Gateway Systems, based outside of Washington D.C. During a typical day at the office, I answered the phone fully expecting a normal customer call. It was not. The person on the other end of the line was Helena Kobrin, then legal counsel for the Religious Technology Center. For those of you who are not familiar, they are responsible for managing all the super secret documents of the Church of Scientology. Apparently, one of our users, Arne Lerma, had posted some materials on our servers for which the Church claimed they held a copyright. I informed Ms. Korbrin that I would be more than happy to take the materials down, if they sent me proof of the copyright. They refused. In that moment, I knew that we were at a critical point, and understood how important it was to set the right precedent in terms of preserving the rights of Internet users moving forward. The entire DGS team knew that the Church of Scientology was on a lawsuit rampage, and that this was going to get very costly, very fast. Rather than backing down to their demands we (myself, the engineering team, and the exec team) chose to forgo our salaries in order to fight back for the rights of our users, future users, and for the ecosystem as a whole. DGS was named in the lawsuit and we got served a few days later.

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For those who haven't been in this scene for 20 years like I have, a great, GREAT article about the beginnings of Scientology's war with the internet.

http://www.wired.com/1995/12/alt-scientology-war/
 

Knows

Gold Meritorious Patron
Scientology and their crazy, goofy and idiotic copyrights....:eyeroll:

That game is so over!

It's like Christianity trying to monitor the internet and anyone that says "I give my heart to Jesus" - THE head "christian" who claims copyrights....try's to SUE, harass, and demand / CHARGE a shit load of money for the "right" to give one's heart to Jesus....:whistling:

Bat shit crazy Scientology ~ NO ONE CARES about Scientology and Scientology dies fairly quickly outside the crazy cult group...cuz it does not work. It is rigged to only work when you charge ungodly sums of money and make people jump through impossible hoops.....then a person will convince oneself "it works"....


Just when you think Scientology, Inc. can't act any crazier....it does!:yes:

Someone inform them...GAME OVER! Scientology is dead and they will never, ever keep up with the ENTHETA to Theta ratio.

SP's = WINNING!!!:hifive::dance3::cheerleader::dancer::dancer::buzzin::buzzin::hattip::giggle::giggle::woohoo::woohoo::woohoo::party::party::party::party::party::wave:
 

Ogsonofgroo

Crusader
Sooooooo, they got 'served' some 25+ years ago etc.etc., with what? I wish they had at least added some more info after that bit in the article, like, um, the outcome of it all. Or, am I being derpy and missed something here?

:confused2:
 

Dulloldfart

Squirrel Extraordinaire
Sooooooo, they got 'served' some 25+ years ago etc.etc., with what? I wish they had at least added some more info after that bit in the article, like, um, the outcome of it all. Or, am I being derpy and missed something here?

:confused2:

The article is mainly about BIP 75. BIP stands for Bitcoin Improvement Proposal. The Scn angle is merely incidental; it takes on more weight here because this is a Scn forum and not a Bitcoin forum. I expect I'm the only person here who read the whole thing. :)

Paul
 

Jump

Operating teatime

^^^

1:10 ... whether it be the handling of the PR for the suicide of some member

What does that even mean. And he makes it sound commonplace.

 
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