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Child Abuse Imagery Found Within Bitcoin's Blockchain (theguardian.com)

German researchers have discovered unknown persons are using bitcoin's blockchain to store and link to child abuse imagery, potentially putting the cryptocurrency in jeopardy. From a report: The blockchain is the open-source, distributed ledger that records every bitcoin transaction, but can also store small bits of non-financial data. This data is typically notes about the trade of bitcoin, recording what it was for or other metadata. But it can also be used to store links and files. Researchers from the RWTH Aachen University, Germany found that around 1,600 files were currently stored in bitcoin's blockchain. Of the files least eight were of sexual content, including one thought to be an image of child abuse and two that contain 274 links to child abuse content, 142 of which link to dark web services. "Our analysis shows that certain content, eg, illegal pornography, can render the mere possession of a blockchain illegal," the researchers wrote. "Although court rulings do not yet exist, legislative texts from countries such as Germany, the UK, or the USA suggest that illegal content such as [child abuse imagery] can make the blockchain illegal to possess for all users. This especially endangers the multi-billion dollar markets powering cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin."

7 of 321 comments (clear)

  1. Re:It has been and always will be used by CRIMINAL by PIBM · · Score: 2, Insightful

    IDGAF what the "original intent" of networks and The Internet in general was, it has since the beginning been used by criminals for criminal activities, and this is just one more example of that. So-called "The Internet" should be outlawed. By all means use network technology for legitimate, legal purposes, but The Internet clearly and objectively needs to go.

  2. now the feds can pull the CP line on any bitcoin u by Joe_Dragon · · Score: 4, Insightful

    now the feds can pull the CP line on any bitcoin user and force them into any plea deal that is good for the FEDS.

  3. Re:It has been and always will be used by CRIMINAL by cellocgw · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The Internet in general was, it has since the beginning been used by criminals for criminal activities, and this is just one more example of that. So-called "The Internet" should be outlawed.

    s/The Internet/Guns
    s/The Internet/telephones
    s/The Internet/cars
    s/The Internet/money

    Need I go on?

    --
    https://app.box.com/WitthoftResume Code: https://github.com/cellocgw
  4. Re:It has been and always will be used by CRIMINAL by PIBM · · Score: 4, Insightful

    just widening his extreme claim, to show how bad it was in the first place.

  5. Re: It has been and always will be used by CRIMINA by mukinrestak · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Then how is gun crime on the rise in Britain? Oh, wait, because criminals don't obey the law.

  6. Re: It has been and always will be used by CRIMINA by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Insightful

    I'm an American and it looks like Europe is going down the shitter at an alarming pace. You people need to get your acts together.

  7. Re:Cars always will be used by CRIMINALS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Well, bitcoin was not built for anonymity but for transactional freedom.. Nobody can block you from performing a transaction and nobody can regulate the currency.

    It's quite easy to trace any performed bitcoin transaction,if you spend a bit of time, and can subpoena ISP records.
    It's quite impossible to trace a cash-transaction after it was performed.