3 ms·

About bitcoin: It depends. Yes, it is not fully anonymous, but you can make it reasonably anonymous quite easily (infinitely more than any credit card). Just t

by runn1ng 14y ago

About bitcoin: It depends. Yes, it is not fully anonymous, but you can make it reasonably anonymous quite easily (infinitely more than any credit card). Just trade it for cash with someone you know in the first place, then send it to MtGox and back, then send it to something similar with online wallet and back, and the result is reasonably anonymous. Also the default client does what it can to obfuscate all the transactions - with every outgoing transaction, the "change" goes back to you, but at completely different address. This causes that after a few transactions, it's basically untrackable.

chernevik 14y ago
IANA privacy expert but isn't the point of the OP that "reasonably anonymous" == "not anonymous to a major government"? It seems better to think in terms of "anonymous" and "not anonymous", The End.
cookiecaper 14y ago
There are some bitcoin launderers that can simplify it, but it should be clarified that much like PGP, anonymity/security is not just as simple as downloading a client and using it. You need to understand the model and its implications, or it's pretty easy to make links in the blockchain that'll give you away to an interested, resourceful party. Bottom line: Do NOT think bitcoin is safe for your usage until you've done sufficient research to ensure that you're using it the correct way. Bitcoin is NOT private by default, it's up to you to protect the identities behind the transaction endpoints, including nearby txs. If you get bitcoins and then immediately send them to your brother's public address, or launder these only lightly, or use a MtGox address that is linked back to a scan of your driver's license somewhere in the laundering process, or if you buy your bitcoins from your brother and HE doesn't launder very well, or the guy from LocalBitcoins got curious and did a bunch of research before your exchange and the feds contact him because the coins came from an address tied to his identity, or something else like that happens, you are going to get caught if someone is interested in catching you. It's more complicated than just downloading the client and waiting four days for the blockchain to download. :)

by runn1ng 14y ago

chernevik 14y ago

IANA privacy expert but isn't the point of the OP that "reasonably anonymous" == "not anonymous to a major government"? It seems better to think in terms of "anonymous" and "not anonymous", The End.

cookiecaper 14y ago

There are some bitcoin launderers that can simplify it, but it should be clarified that much like PGP, anonymity/security is not just as simple as downloading a client and using it. You need to understand the model and its implications, or it's pretty easy to make links in the blockchain that'll give you away to an interested, resourceful party. Bottom line: Do NOT think bitcoin is safe for your usage until you've done sufficient research to ensure that you're using it the correct way. Bitcoin is NOT private by default, it's up to you to protect the identities behind the transaction endpoints, including nearby txs. If you get bitcoins and then immediately send them to your brother's public address, or launder these only lightly, or use a MtGox address that is linked back to a scan of your driver's license somewhere in the laundering process, or if you buy your bitcoins from your brother and HE doesn't launder very well, or the guy from LocalBitcoins got curious and did a bunch of research before your exchange and the feds contact him because the coins came from an address tied to his identity, or something else like that happens, you are going to get caught if someone is interested in catching you. It's more complicated than just downloading the client and waiting four days for the blockchain to download. :)