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mostlysignssomeportents · 1 year ago

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Algorithmic feeds are a twiddler’s playground

Next TUESDAY (May 14), I'm on a livecast about AI AND ENSHITTIFICATION with TIM O'REILLY; on WEDNESDAY (May 15), I'm in NORTH HOLLYWOOD with HARRY SHEARER for a screening of STEPHANIE KELTON'S FINDING THE MONEY; FRIDAY (May 17), I'm at the INTERNET ARCHIVE in SAN FRANCISCO to keynote the 10th anniversary of the AUTHORS ALLIANCE.

Like Oscar Wilde, "I can resist anything except temptation," and my slow and halting journey to adulthood is really just me grappling with this fact, getting temptation out of my way before I can yield to it.

Behavioral economists have a name for the steps we take to guard against temptation: a "Ulysses pact." That's when you take some possibility off the table during a moment of strength in recognition of some coming moment of weakness:

https://archive.org/details/decentralizedwebsummit2016-corydoctorow

Famously, Ulysses did this before he sailed into the Sea of Sirens. Rather than stopping his ears with wax to prevent his hearing the sirens' song, which would lure him to his drowning, Ulysses has his sailors tie him to the mast, leaving his ears unplugged. Ulysses became the first person to hear the sirens' song and live to tell the tale.

Ulysses was strong enough to know that he would someday be weak. He expressed his strength by guarding against his weakness. Our modern lives are filled with less epic versions of the Ulysses pact: the day you go on a diet, it's a good idea to throw away all your Oreos. That way, when your blood sugar sings its siren song at 2AM, it will be drowned out by the rest of your body's unwillingness to get dressed, find your keys and drive half an hour to the all-night grocery store.

Note that this Ulysses pact isn't perfect. You might drive to the grocery store. It's rare that a Ulysses pact is unbreakable – we bind ourselves to the mast, but we don't chain ourselves to it and slap on a pair of handcuffs for good measure.

People who run institutions can – and should – create Ulysses pacts, too. A company that holds the kind of sensitive data that might be subjected to "sneak-and-peek" warrants by cops or spies can set up a "warrant canary":

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warrant_canary

This isn't perfect. A company that stops publishing regular transparency reports might have been compromised by the NSA, but it's also possible that they've had a change in management and the new boss just doesn't give a shit about his users' privacy:

https://www.fastcompany.com/90853794/twitters-transparency-reporting-has-tanked-under-elon-musk

Likewise, a company making software it wants users to trust can release that code under an irrevocable free/open software license, thus guaranteeing that each release under that license will be free and open forever. This is good, but not perfect: the new boss can take that free/open code down a proprietary fork and try to orphan the free version:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39772562

A company can structure itself as a public benefit corporation and make a binding promise to elevate its stakeholders' interests over its shareholders' – but the CEO can still take a secret $100m bribe from cryptocurrency creeps and try to lure those stakeholders into a shitcoin Ponzi scheme:

https://fortune.com/crypto/2024/03/11/kickstarter-blockchain-a16z-crypto-secret-investment-chris-dixon/

A key resource can be entrusted to a nonprofit with a board of directors who are charged with stewarding it for the benefit of a broad community, but when a private equity fund dangles billions before that board, they can talk themselves into a belief that selling out is the right thing to do:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/12/how-we-saved-org-2020-review

Ulysses pacts aren't perfect, but they are very important. At the very least, creating a Ulysses pact starts with acknowledging that you are fallible. That you can be tempted, and rationalize your way into taking bad action, even when you know better. Becoming an adult is a process of learning that your strength comes from seeing your weaknesses and protecting yourself and the people who trust you from them.

Which brings me to enshittification. Enshittification is the process by which platforms betray their users and their customers by siphoning value away from each until the platform is a pile of shit:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enshittification

Enshittification is a spectrum that can be applied to many companies' decay, but in its purest form, enshittification requires:

a) A platform: a two-sided market with business customers and end users who can be played off against each other; b) A digital back-end: a market that can be easily, rapidly and undetectably manipulated by its owners, who can alter search-rankings, prices and costs on a per-user, per-query basis; and c) A lack of constraint: the platform's owners must not fear a consequence for this cheating, be it from competitors, regulators, workforce resignations or rival technologists who use mods, alternative clients, blockers or other "adversarial interoperability" tools to disenshittify your product and sever your relationship with your users.

he founders of tech platforms don't generally set out to enshittify them. Rather, they are constantly seeking some equilibrium between delivering value to their shareholders and turning value over to end users, business customers, and their own workers. Founders are consummate rationalizers; like parenting, founding a company requires continuous, low-grade self-deception about the amount of work involved and the chances of success. A founder, confronted with the likelihood of failure, is absolutely capable of talking themselves into believing that nearly any compromise is superior to shuttering the business: "I'm one of the good guys, so the most important thing is for me to live to fight another day. Thus I can do any number of immoral things to my users, business customers or workers, because I can make it up to them when we survive this crisis. It's for their own good, even if they don't know it. Indeed, I'm doubly moral here, because I'm volunteering to look like the bad guy, just so I can save this business, which will make the world over for the better":

https://locusmag.com/2024/05/cory-doctorow-no-one-is-the-enshittifier-of-their-own-story/

(En)shit(tification) flows downhill, so tech workers grapple with their own version of this dilemma. Faced with constant pressure to increase the value flowing from their division to the company, they have to balance different, conflicting tactics, like "increasing the number of users or business customers, possibly by shifting value from the company to these stakeholders in the hopes of making it up in volume"; or "locking in my existing stakeholders and squeezing them harder, safe in the knowledge that they can't easily leave the service provided the abuse is subtle enough." The bigger a company gets, the harder it is for it to grow, so the biggest companies realize their gains by locking in and squeezing their users, not by improving their service::

https://pluralistic.net/2023/07/28/microincentives-and-enshittification/

That's where "twiddling" comes in. Digital platforms are extremely flexible, which comes with the territory: computers are the most flexible tools we have. This means that companies can automate high-speed, deceptive changes to the "business logic" of their platforms – what end users pay, how much of that goes to business customers, and how offers are presented to both:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/02/19/twiddler/

This kind of fraud isn't particularly sophisticated, but it doesn't have to be – it just has to be fast. In any shell-game, the quickness of the hand deceives the eye:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/03/26/glitchbread/#electronic-shelf-tags

Under normal circumstances, this twiddling would be constrained by counterforces in society. Changing the business rules like this is fraud, so you'd hope that a regulator would step in and extinguish the conduct, fining the company that engaged in it so hard that they saw a net loss from the conduct. But when a sector gets very concentrated, its mega-firms capture their regulators, becoming "too big to jail":

https://pluralistic.net/2022/06/05/regulatory-capture/

Thus the tendency among the giant tech companies to practice the one lesson of the Darth Vader MBA: dismissing your stakeholders' outrage by saying, "I am altering the deal. Pray I don't alter it any further":

https://pluralistic.net/2023/10/26/hit-with-a-brick/#graceful-failure

Where regulators fail, technology can step in. The flexibility of digital platforms cuts both ways: when the company enshittifies its products, you can disenshittify it with your own countertwiddling: third-party ink-cartridges, alternative app stores and clients, scrapers, browser automation and other forms of high-tech guerrilla warfare:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2019/10/adversarial-interoperability

But tech giants' regulatory capture have allowed them to expand "IP rights" to prevent this self-help. By carefully layering overlapping IP rights around their products, they can criminalize the technology that lets you wrestle back the value they've claimed for themselves, creating a new offense of "felony contempt of business model":

https://locusmag.com/2020/09/cory-doctorow-ip/

A world where users must defer to platforms' moment-to-moment decisions about how the service operates, without the protection of rival technology or regulatory oversight is a world where companies face a powerful temptation to enshittify.

That's why we've seen so much enshittification in platforms that algorithmically rank their feeds, from Google and Amazon search to Facebook and Twitter feeds. A search engine is always going to be making a judgment call about what the best result for your search should be. If a search engine is generally good at predicting which results will please you best, you'll return to it, automatically clicking the first result ("I'm feeling lucky").

This means that if a search engine slips in the odd paid result at the top of the results, they can exploit your trusting habits to shift value from you to their investors. The congifurability of a digital service means that they can sprinkle these frauds into their services on a random schedule, making them hard to detect and easy to dismiss as lapses. Gradually, this acquires its own momentum, and the platform becomes addicted to lowering its own quality to raise its profits, and you get modern Google, which cynically lowered search quality to increase search volume:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/04/24/naming-names/#prabhakar-raghavan

And you get Amazon, which makes $38 billion every year, accepting bribes to replace its best search results with paid results for products that cost more and are of lower quality:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/11/06/attention-rents/#consumer-welfare-queens

Social media's enshittification followed a different path. In the beginning, social media presented a deterministic feed: after you told the platform who you wanted to follow, the platform simply gathered up the posts those users made and presented them to you, in reverse-chronological order.

This presented few opportunities for enshittification, but it wasn't perfect. For users who were well-established on a platform, a reverse-chrono feed was an ungovernable torrent, where high-frequency trivialities drowned out the important posts from people whose missives were buried ten screens down in the updates since your last login.

For new users who didn't yet follow many people, this presented the opposite problem: an empty feed, and the sense that you were all alone while everyone else was having a rollicking conversation down the hall, in a room you could never find.

The answer was the algorithmic feed: a feed of recommendations drawn from both the accounts you followed and strangers alike. Theoretically, this could solve both problems, by surfacing the most important materials from your friends while keeping you abreast of the most important and interesting activity beyond your filter bubble. For many of us, this promise was realized, and algorithmic feeds became a source of novelty and relevance.

But these feeds are a profoundly tempting enshittification target. The critique of these algorithms has largely focused on "addictiveness" and the idea that platforms would twiddle the knobs to increase the relevance of material in your feed to "hack your engagement":

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/04/has-dopamine-got-us-hooked-on-tech-facebook-apps-addiction

Less noticed – and more important – was how platforms did the opposite: twiddling the knobs to remove things from your feed that you'd asked to see or that the algorithm predicted you'd enjoy, to make room for "boosted" content and advertisements:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Instagram/comments/z9j7uy/what_happened_to_instagram_only_ads_and_accounts/

Users were helpless before this kind of twiddling. On the one hand, they were locked into the platform – not because their dopamine had been hacked by evil tech-bro wizards – but because they loved the friends they had there more than they hated the way the service was run:

https://locusmag.com/2023/01/commentary-cory-doctorow-social-quitting/

On the other hand, the platforms had such an iron grip on their technology, and had deployed IP so cleverly, that any countertwiddling technology was instantaneously incinerated by legal death-rays:

https://techcrunch.com/2022/10/10/google-removes-the-og-app-from-the-play-store-as-founders-think-about-next-steps/

Newer social media platforms, notably Tiktok, dispensed entirely with deterministic feeds, defaulting every user into a feed that consisted entirely of algorithmic picks; the people you follow on these platforms are treated as mere suggestions by their algorithms. This is a perfect breeding-ground for enshittification: different parts of the business can twiddle the knobs to override the algorithm for their own parochial purposes, shifting the quality:shit ratio by unnoticeable increments, temporarily toggling the quality knob when your engagement drops off:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/emilybaker-white/2023/01/20/tiktoks-secret-heating-button-can-make-anyone-go-viral/

All social platforms want to be Tiktok: nominally, that's because Tiktok's algorithmic feed is so good at hooking new users and keeping established users hooked. But tech bosses also understand that a purely algorithmic feed is the kind of black box that can be plausibly and subtly enshittified without sparking user revolts:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/01/21/potemkin-ai/#hey-guys

Back in 2004, when Mark Zuckerberg was coming to grips with Facebook's success, he boasted to a friend that he was sitting on a trove of emails, pictures and Social Security numbers for his fellow Harvard students, offering this up for his friend's idle snooping. The friend, surprised, asked "What? How'd you manage that one?"

Infamously, Zuck replied, "People just submitted it. I don't know why. They 'trust me.' Dumb fucks."

https://www.esquire.com/uk/latest-news/a19490586/mark-zuckerberg-called-people-who-handed-over-their-data-dumb-f/

This was a remarkable (and uncharacteristic) self-aware moment from the then-nineteen-year-old Zuck. Of course Zuck couldn't be trusted with that data. Whatever Jiminy Cricket voice told him to safeguard that trust was drowned out by his need to boast to pals, or participate in the creepy nonconsensual rating of the fuckability of their female classmates. Over and over again, Zuckerberg would promise to use his power wisely, then break that promise as soon as he could do so without consequence:

https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3247362

Zuckerberg is a cautionary tale. Aware from the earliest moments that he was amassing power that he couldn't be trusted with, he nevertheless operated with only the weakest of Ulysses pacts, like a nonbinding promise never to spy on his users:

https://web.archive.org/web/20050107221705/http://www.thefacebook.com/policy.php

But the platforms have learned the wrong lesson from Zuckerberg. Rather than treating Facebook's enshittification as a cautionary tale, they've turned it into a roadmap. The Darth Vader MBA rules high-tech boardrooms.

Algorithmic feeds and other forms of "paternalistic" content presentation are necessary and even desirable in an information-rich environment. In many instances, decisions about what you see must be largely controlled by a third party whom you trust. The audience in a comedy club doesn't get to insist on knowing the punchline before the joke is told, just as RPG players don't get to order the Dungeon Master to present their preferred challenges during a campaign.

But this power is balanced against the ease of the players replacing the Dungeon Master or the audience walking out on the comic. When you've got more than a hundred dollars sunk into a video game and an online-only friend-group you raid with, the games company can do a lot of enshittification without losing your business, and they know it:

https://www.theverge.com/2024/5/10/24153809/ea-in-game-ads-redux

Even if they sometimes overreach and have to retreat:

https://www.eurogamer.net/sony-overturns-helldivers-2-psn-requirement-following-backlash

A tech company that seeks your trust for an algorithmic feed needs Ulysses pacts, or it will inevitably yield to the temptation to enshittify. From strongest to weakest, these are:

Not showing you an algorithmic feed at all;

https://joinmastodon.org/

"Composable moderation" that lets multiple parties provide feeds:

https://bsky.social/about/blog/4-13-2023-moderation

Offering an algorithmic "For You" feed alongside of a reverse-chrono "Friends" feed, defaulting to friends;

https://pluralistic.net/2022/12/10/e2e/#the-censors-pen

As above, but defaulting to "For You"

Maturity lies in being strong enough to know your weaknesses. Never trust someone who tells you that they will never yield to temptation! Instead, seek out people – and service providers – with the maturity and honesty to know how tempting temptation is, and who act before temptation strikes to make it easier to resist.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/05/11/for-you/#the-algorithm-tm

Image: Cryteria (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HAL9000.svg

CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en

djhughman https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Modular_synthesizer_-_%22Control_Voltage%22_electronic_music_shop_in_Portland_OR_-_School_Photos_PCC_%282015-05-23_12.43.01_by_djhughman%29.jpg

CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en

#pluralistic #twiddling #for you #enshittification #intermediation #the algorithm tm #moral hazard #end to end

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aroceu · 7 months ago

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some thoughts on leaving a social media website...again

as of 10/16/2024, twitter has announced its intention to implement a new feature into the platform: instead of blocking allowing you to block certain accounts from viewing your profile if it's public, it now just... doesn't do that anymore. it only limits interaction. though this certainly isn't a surprise with musk's twitter rollouts since 2021—when i first saw people start to trickle out—this, in particular, breaks a lot of users boundaries and has prompted many to private their accounts and move to bluesky.

i'm in support of this, btw—the ceo of bsky is strongly opposed to ever running any sort of ads on the site ("won't enshittify the network with ads"), doesn't use any blockchain technology, and has a culture where supplying alt text on images is the norm. your main timeline is in reverse-chronological order (like intended), but there are other separate options to create a custom algorithmic feed for certain types of content, only if you wish to. though bsky is a work in progress, i have high hopes for what it can be in the future: that is, usable, practical, and more reminiscent of what it was like when twitter first started, than how twitter currently is.

but despite my love for bluesky, i won't spend too much time glazing yet another microblogging platform. instead, i'm here to ponder the concept of social media: why we have it, why we use it, and why these moves happen in the first place. people have been trickling in and out of twitter ever since the richest and evilest man in the world took possession of it; especially in a fandom sense, there's been a back and forth between twitter and tumblr due to tumblr's former porn ban, as well. we all have principles and morals that guide the decisions we make, including what websites we decide to use. they speak to a pattern of not only our culture as people at any given time—but how these platforms have the power to implement these changes whenever they want. and we, as individuals, must make decisions both based on those principles, but also our desires to fit in.

i'll start off by saying this—eventually i'm going to start talking about what social media means for creatives. but there is in fact an extremely well-written article about this already that goes into more detail. if you're more interested in that, let me direct you there first: R U AN ARTIST ON SOCIAL MEDIA??? by omoulo

with that out of the way, let's talk about me, shall we?

i got onto the internet through geocities—crazy sentence to say now after all these years. of course, i played neopets and flash games like many other kids, but that was mostly through knowing those websites and urls existed, and preserving them in my mind so i could return to them for some mindless minutes of entertainment later. geocities was my first introduction to the creative, user-designed web, so to speak. instead of being a number to interact with a thing that someone else has made—a flash game, a youtube video, a website where you can collect fictional pets—the idea of geocities to me at the time was this idea of participating on the internet. being a part of it. writing whatever i wanted and posting it. sharing the link with others. having others find it and read it too—a part of me, my method of creative self-expression, whatever i desired to write and post on the less than permanent internet.

my best friend at the time was the one who needled me into creating accounts—first an email address, then an AIM, then a myspace, then an IMVU, so on and so forth. i wasn't going out looking for these, and though i'd heard of them before or seen ads of some of these sites, i wasn't interested in actually being on these platforms and making these accounts until my friend told me that i should. call me a people pleaser or easily influenced or whatever; i was 12. but it was through this link sharing, this naivety and ignorance of the vastness of the internet, that allowed me to be fascinated with the world wide web in the first place.

i usually cite quizilla as my first "fandom" website, because it was—but it wasn't because i found it by accident. it wasn't that i googled it or looked for a personality test and stumbled upon it. no, it's because i was chatting with a friend on AIM, and she had found some crazy chain letter story and shared it to me for how absurd it was, and sent me the link. it was on quizilla.

literally the moment i clicked that link changed my life forever. even though i read the crazy story, i also clicked on the username of the person who posted it, out of curiosity. that person had jonas brothers fanfics on their quizilla profile, of all things, which led me into an obsession with the jonas brothers in the 2 years that followed. through that link—that account—that platform—i got a lot more interested in writing, webdesign, and what it meant to be on the internet, not just as a numbered participant, but also as someone with an imagination, who finds fulfillment in creative expression. i wrote the longest thing i'd ever written in that time (30k of a self-insert, but we won't go into that), began to experiment with css and website design, and participated, sharing stuff that i thought was interesting or fun, worth 5 minutes of anyone's time.

the internet wasn't just about being a place where my presence didn't matter anymore—it became a medium of self-expression. more than that, it became a place where i could meet and socialize with people, especially as i developed avpd in my high school years.

the internet wasn't always like this. right now, when we talk about the internet, we don't talk about the random websites we find, the links we stumble upon. (i have an entire website dedicated to those for me, though.) the games we spend hours playing, by ourselves, without interacting with others. random personality tests, or just simply the news. we talk about google, but in the same way we talk about facebook, or even twitter. it's a verb; it's omnipresent; it exists within the context of our internet culture, but becomes meaningless outside of it. it's not to say it doesn't have meaning—but that the language we use represents our relationship with it, this assumed normalcy. this assumed dependence.

i bring up my own history because as young as i feel compared to many of my older internet friends, and how late to the game i always felt—i was there. i was there on the internet before twitter (since 2009), tumblr (since 2010), facebook (i lied about my age), bluesky now, and whatever will come in the future. i was there when people were saying that the internet was still being written; when websites were made with tables (eugh); when email was the primary way to connect with others, because irc was for nerds and nothing else had been invented yet.

i'm a big advocate for not looking at the past with rose colored glasses and getting caught up in nostalgia and greener grass. i believe that technology is not inherently harmful or bad—it creates more options for accessibility, especially for those who are disabled. and even outside of that, it allows us to learn about more people, communicate with others with a few keystrokes, and form relationships that we otherwise would never get to have. i don't want this to seem like i'm saying "man remember how good the internet used to be?" because i'm not—i believe that as things change, there are benefits as much as there are hindrances.

of course, it bears saying that the primary hindrance—of current twitter, of many platforms over the years, and the internet with increasing recency—is corporations. big money interests. capitalism.

it's why we get so tired of ads—it's why ads exist in the first place. it's why these social media platforms that used to feel like they were made by the same people who would use them (livejournal, youtube, twitter) have suddenly become these soulless impersonal websites. it becomes more obvious that they want you to use them more because they sell you on exclusivity and visual minimalism, rather than because that's where your friends are, and you have this unique way to express yourself.

in fact, i'll say this: the first time i learned about facebook when i was too young to use it, i was not impressed. i had a myspace at the time that i had dolled up to make pretty with sparkly gifs and obnoxious colors and weird fonts. when i saw how boring and samey everyone's facebook profile page was, i was like, what's the point? sure i could talk to my classmates and random other people in my life that i didn't really care about, but what about making myself different from others? what about my creative expression? what about having an account that makes me look unique, instead of blending in with everyone else?

and so here i am nearly two decades later pondering about the use of social media, our individuality as well as our collective interests, and how the internet has changed so much, both in itself and how it affects us, in that time.

i'm here because i want to talk to my friends and meet new people with common interests and get excited about them. i don't want to feel left out, but that's a normal experience—outside of fomo, it is in our core to connect with others. it's the whole meaning of everything. it's why i even made an email in the first place, in my basement with my best friend, secretly setting up a yahoo account because she wanted another way to talk to me, and i wanted another way to talk to her. it's why people have been leaving twitter little by little for another site—the same site as many others, because that's where all their friends are. whether it's bsky or mastodon or misskey or just back here on tumblr, we're here not just because of our desire for community, but even as simple as our desire for a bond, a relationship with another human being. to me, that is how "social media" is defined—a medium through which we socialize because of this innate desire.

and yet, of course the enshittification and corporatification makes this more difficult for us, in ways more than one. because the fact is that as we (as people) became better at using the internet, finished writing it, and understood it—psychologically and sociologically—so did the corporations. or advertisers, you take your pick. we, the everypeople who use the internet as means to fulfill our social and other self-indulgent desires, are not the only people here. as with many things else in the world, the internet turned from an unpredictable but fun mess of us figuring shit out as we went along, into a product designed to keep us using it and engaging with it more, so some rich people can put even more money into their pockets. it's why twitter is the way it is now; even why tumblr is the way it is. why social media has become about "content creation" and "small businesses." why it feels like, every day, we see more ads and AI generated bullshit, as a little bit of the original soul of the internet gets sucked away day by day.

but even there, i don't want to come across as cynical or world-weary. though i believe this to be true, i don't think it says anything about our lack of agency, or our lack of innate humanity. instead, i believe that this means, at least on the individual level, that we should think more about not only what we're doing on the internet, but why we're doing it. how we're doing it. are we here because we're addicted? or is there something we're getting out of it? sure, many websites now have more addictive UI and algorithms that tell the receptors of our brain to return to them because we were getting so much dopamine from them earlier. but i also wouldn't necessarily argue that the only solution to this is to, then, go offline.

i have many friends who've elected to depart social media but stay online—friends who i met through website building, to be fair, but that's one of my main points. i already wrote a manifesto on my love letter to the personal website; but the tl;dr is this:

the internet is not evil, it is not good, it is just a form. if we desire to express ourselves and socialize with others in this space, it does not have to be just about social media, and creating a new account on a new website every time people move. instead, we have personhood—we have individuality, we have agency. we have the ability to build our own websites, no matter how shitty or times new roman comic sansy or color clashy or sometimes inaccessible they can be. regardless of all these seeming impractical setbacks though, it does not absolve us of that ability to do whatever we want on the internet. and it also bears saying that websites, both the personal and impersonal, can change over time, for better or worse.

i am a huge proponent for people making their own personal websites. it makes me so so happy that neocities is gaining popularity, mostly because i love seeing people try their own hand at making a website for themselves, a new form of self-expression. i won't go into too much detail on this because i've already said everything i want to say about it (see above), but if you take away anything from this post, let it be this: consider making a personal website, a corner of the internet, for yourself, by yourself. not just because you want people to engage with it, or because you want to curate to an algorithm or an artistic/fannish trend. not because you want the things you make to gain traction, to get bigger numbers without considering the people behind those numbers, as soon as possible.

do it because you want to. because you have to. because you think it's cool, and because it's you. people may find it and judge it; but they may like it as well. the more unique and authentic and weird we are with each other, the more we are able to appreciate each other for who we really are. the internet is one of many places we can do this.

i don't really see these forms of self-expression separate from social media, but i do see social media separate from it. to me, social media is a vehicle to strengthen those connections, those relationships, much like DMs and IRCs; but it is not the be-all, end all of the internet. it's only a small part of it. not everything is permanent on the internet; but everything that ever has been online is a microcosm of the human experience, whether it's an old cloudflare site or twitter dot com in 2010.

our experiences on the internet are not about corporate interests. it's about using limewire to download pirate music, sharing random links we find, building a design that may not be practical or universally appealing but still represents a form of individuality. when i think of how the internet has grown, i don't think about what it means for companies or advertisers or what meetings must go on to get people like me to keep using it—i think about remembering the difference between addicting games dot com and addicted games dot com, clicking links on websites to find even more websites, sitting at the family computer and deciding if i wanted to spend hours on neopets or that one willy wonka flash game i grinded like several hours on one night when i was 7. i think about what it's always meant to me, because the internet was not always a centralized place where i was going on the same website every day. the rise of internet centralization to the point that it's become expected, the norm, the primary way any of us to be online, is not inherently a bad thing—but i wouldn't say it's a universal good, either, when the internet is a wide and vast space, and can be so much more than that.

because the one thing that remains throughout the years is our agency and choice. we still have the ability to make the internet what we want it to be, or at least a corner of it, something separate from the corporations, the enshittification, economically researched user interfaces and experiences, the advertisements, the "like and share so the algorithm boosts me more." there's still a point to it all without the money, and without twitter. and it's both our desire for creativity and self-expression, as well as our intrinsic bonds with each other. despite it all, it's about our humanity.

as the internet continues to grow, so do we. nevertheless, the importance of our humanity, and retaining it, will remain. oftentimes it is up to us to remind ourselves of that.

links here, for access:

Bluesky CEO Jay Graber Says She Won’t ‘Enshittify the Network With Ads’

R U AN ARTIST ON SOCIAL MEDIA??? by omoulo

links @ kingdra.net (my links, like bookmarks)

A manifesto of sorts; or, my love letter to the personal website by me

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mariacallous · 5 months ago

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US president-elect Donald Trump has appointed venture capitalist and former PayPal executive David Sacks as White House AI & Crypto Czar, a newly created role meant to establish the country as the global leader in both fields.

Members of the cryptosphere have gathered to congratulate their new czar, a Trump loyalist from Silicon Valley who has previously expressed enthusiasm for crypto technologies and invested in crypto startups. The appointment is being celebrated by crypto executives and policy wonks as “bullish” for the industry, which under the previous administration was bombarded with lawsuits by US regulators. On X, Gemini chief legal officer Tyler Meader wrote, “At long last, a rational conversation about crypto can be had.”

Others have speculated that the dual-faceted nature of the role, covering both AI and crypto, could set the tone for experimentation around potential synergies between the two disciplines. Among VCs, Sacks “was very early in noting the importance of crypto to AI,” says Caitlin Long, CEO at crypto-focused bank Custodia. In his announcement, Trump wrote that the two areas were “critical to the future of American competitiveness.”

“There is no better person than David Sacks to help steer the future of crypto and AI innovation in America,” says John Robert Reed, partner at crypto-focused VC firm Multicoin Capital. “He's a principled entrepreneur and brilliant technologist that deeply understands each of these industries and where they intersect.”

“Initial reactions from the crypto industry on the Sacks appointment has been positive. Given his purview as a venture capitalist, he’s seen a lot of the innovation in crypto and AI that has been stunted in growth due to various political or regulatory issues the past few years,” says Ron Hammond, director of government relations at the Blockchain Association. “What remains to be seen is how much power the czar role will even have and if it will be more a policy driver position versus a policy coordinator role.”

In an X post, Sacks expressed his gratitude to Trump. “I am honored and grateful for the trust you have placed in me. I look forward to advancing American competitiveness in these critical technologies,” he wrote. “Under your leadership, the future is bright.”

In his role as czar, Sacks will lead a council of science and technology advisers responsible for making policy recommendations, Trump says. He will also develop a legal framework that sets out clear rules for crypto businesses to follow—something the industry has long demanded. That will reportedly involve working closely with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), two regulatory agencies that vied for jurisdiction over the crypto industry under the Biden administration. Earlier this week, Trump appointed crypto advocate Paul Atkins as SEC chair; members of the crypto industry contributed to the selection process, sources told WIRED in November.

Trump officials did not respond when asked to clarify whether the new position would be internal to the government, or whether Sacks would act as a “special government employee,” allowing him to continue in other private-sector roles. Sacks did not respond to a request for comment.

Sacks first made his name as one of the earliest employees at payments technology firm PayPal, which he built alongside Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, Reid Hoffman, and others. Like other members of the so-called “PayPal Mafia,” Sacks went on to set up multiple other business ventures. In 2012, he sold workplace software company Yammer to Microsoft in a deal worth $1.2 billion. Now he runs his own venture capital firm, Craft Ventures, which has previously invested in companies including AirBnb, Palantir, and Slack—as well as crypto firms BitGo and Bitwise.

Sacks also cohosts the popular All In podcast where he’s used the platform to boost Trump. He’s also shared a host of right-wing takes: At the podcast’s summit this September, Sacks questioned the effectiveness of the Covid vaccine.

Like Musk, Sacks was a vocal proponent of Trump during the presidential race. In an X post in June, he laid out his very Silicon Valley rationale: “The voters have experienced four years of President Trump and four years of President Biden. In tech, we call this an A/B test,” he wrote. “With respect to economic policy, foreign policy, border policy, and legal fairness, Trump performed better. He is the President who deserves a second term.”

That same month, Sacks hosted an exclusive fundraiser for the Trump campaign, reportedly generating as much as $12 million. Attendees reportedly included vice-president-elect JD Vance—who has previously described Sacks as “one of my closest friends in the tech world”—and Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, cofounders of crypto exchange Gemini.

In the weeks since Trump won back the Oval Office, crypto markets have been on a tear. During the race, the president-elect made a host of crypto-friendly pledges, including a promise to set up a national “bitcoin stockpile.” In Sacks, Trump has picked a czar that the crypto industry believes will deliver on his campaign pledges.

On December 6, the price of bitcoin vaulted beyond $100,000 for the first time. “YOU”RE WELCOME!!! [sic]” Trump posted on Truth Social.

#also another russia apologist/anti-ukraine figure

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attainnaharbristy78585 · 3 months ago

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Elon Musk’s Five-Pronged Approach to Reducing Government

Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur behind Tesla, SpaceX, and X (formerly Twitter), has long been vocal about his concerns regarding excessive government intervention. Whether it’s through regulatory pushback, decentralization efforts, or technological disruption, Musk is actively working to reduce government influence in five key ways.

Challenging Regulatory Overreach

Musk has repeatedly criticized government regulations that he believes stifle innovation. From Tesla’s battles with dealership laws to SpaceX’s friction with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), he has frequently clashed with authorities over what he sees as unnecessary red tape. By publicly pushing back against these restrictions, he aims to set precedents that could lead to reduced regulatory burdens across industries.

Privatizing Space Exploration

NASA was once the sole player in space exploration, but SpaceX has shifted the industry toward privatization. By reducing dependence on government-funded programs and proving that private companies can outperform traditional bureaucratic models, Musk is driving a shift away from government monopolization of space travel.

Advocating for Free Speech and Decentralization

After acquiring Twitter (now X), Musk positioned himself as a champion of free speech, often criticizing government involvement in content moderation. He has also expressed support for decentralized social media and blockchain technologies, which could reduce reliance on centralized, government-regulated platforms.

Developing Alternative Energy and Infrastructure

Tesla’s push for electric vehicles and solar power indirectly challenges government-controlled energy industries. By promoting self-sufficient energy solutions, such as home battery storage and off-grid living, Musk is creating alternatives that reduce reliance on state-controlled utilities and fossil fuel subsidies.

Advancing AI and Automation to Limit Government’s Role

Musk has a complex stance on artificial intelligence (AI), both warning about its dangers and investing in its development through xAI. By accelerating automation, he envisions a future where technology reduces the need for bureaucratic inefficiencies, potentially shrinking government involvement in areas like labor regulation and public sector jobs.

Conclusion

Musk’s efforts to reduce government influence aren’t just theoretical; they manifest in tangible actions across multiple industries. Whether he succeeds or not remains to be seen, but his impact is already reshaping the relationship between innovation and regulation.

Go To Website...

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musickool · 1 year ago

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What do you think about a yandere William Foster and Evan Webber?

omggg yess! yandere william foster and evan webber au ♡ ♱ · ! ꒰ ⊹ ࣪ ˖ 𑄽୧ㅤㅤ۪ㅤㅤരㅤㅤ꒱

a biotech scientist and an architect who compartmentalise between their dual identities: the facade of doting loving fathers & husbands and their dark side as sociopathic stalkers .ᐟ

prompt #1:

yandere william foster & evan webber x reader

william, as a biotech scientist & engineer, spends a lot of his time in his private lab doing research (and surveilling you). since he knows a lot about technology, you should already know where this is going...

with his infinite knowledge and wisdom, he'd come up with an idea to create some sort of spying device so he could find more information about you, to which he harvests in a gazillion folders of files on a digital database, protected by a hefty set of blockchains. he'll know your address, where you go work, mode of transport, your name, a photographic memory of your appearance, hell, even down to the nitty gritty of knowing your personal interests. this man is completely obsessed with you, loves you more than his own wife and kids. he will know everything, and you cannot stop him.

evan's your neighbour so you know his advantages are on a all-time high. he stalks you by watching you through his own home: writing notes of things you do routinely, recording you, taking pictures. on his way to work, he stalks you in his car, slowly driving by your house or as you walk into your home. he wants you, he needs you, he has to have you. to everyone, he's the friendly ol' guy who's always willing to lend a helping hand to any advances. but his intentions are far more bleaker than that....

similar to william, he too also keeps the information on a USB, as well his notebooks, storing it away somewhere unknown. he knows every single thing about you and one day, he'll lure you into his home under the false pretence of a special dinner with him as an invite, obviously knowing full well that this will be the last time you'll be seen again.

#𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐬𝐯𝐨𝐱𝐱𝐲𝐱𝐲 #*#headcanon #william foster #evan webber #𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐬 #𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐬.#yandere #x reader #female reader #fic prompt #𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭

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sweatybouquetarcade · 26 days ago

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Steps Involved in Tokenizing Real-World Assets

Introduction

Tokenizing real-world assets implies translating the ownership rights of physical or intangible assets into a blockchain-based digital token. By doing this the asset gains liquidity and fractions of the ownership with a high degree of transparency. The main steps of tokenization of real-world assets

Tokenize Real World Assets in simple steps

Asset Identification and Valuation:

Start with the selection of an asset such as real estate, artwork, or commodities, for tokenization, and then understand the market value. This refers to the valuation of all identifying features of the asset the market demand and the legal reasons to see if the asset is viable for tokenization. The valuation of the asset must be an accurate one since it greatly impacts investor confidence and the overall effect of the process of tokenization.

Legal Structuring and Compliance:

Establish the robust legal framework to ensure tokenize an asset complies with relevant regulation. This would require defining the rights and obligations of a token holder and compliance with securities laws and appropriate entities or agreements. It would be very advisable to engage legal experts who understand blockchain technology and financial regulations to help navigate this rather difficult terrain.

Choosing the Blockchain Platform:

The selection of the blockchain is highly dependent on security, scalability, transaction costs, and lastly compatibility with the asset type. Acceptance of public blockchains like Ethereum against private or permissioned chains would ultimately boil down to the requirements of the specific asset type and the demands of stakeholders Defining the Token Type and Standard:

represents equity, debt, or utility, and selects an appropriate token standard. Common standards include ERC-20 tokens and ERC-721 tokens . This decision impacts the tokens functionality interoperability and how to traded or utilized within the ecosystem

Developing Smart Contracts:

Create smart contracts to automate the processes like token issuance distribution and compliance. These self-executing contracts with the terms and directly written into code ensure transparency and reduce the need for intermediaries and enforce the predefined rules and regulations associated with the tokenized asset.

Token Creation and Management

Automating compliance

Transaction Automation

Security and Transparency

Integration with External Systems

Asset Management:

Securing the physical asset or its legal documentation in a way that ensures that the tokens issued are backed by the asset per se is called asset custody and management. It includes the engagement of third-party custodians or establishing trust structures for holding the asset, thereby providing assurance to the token holders of the authenticity and security of their investments.

Token Issuance and Distribution:

Mint and distribute the digital tokens over a selected platform or exchange to investors. Carry out the process in a completely transparent way and in full conformance with the pre-established legal framework, like initial coin offerings (ICOs) or security token offerings (STOs), among others, to reach the target investors.

Establishing a Secondary Market:

Facilitating trading of tokens in secondary markets allows liquidity and enables investors to buy or sell their holdings. Listing tokens on appropriate exchanges and ensuring compliance with relevant ongoing regulations is part and parcel of enhancing the marketability and attractiveness to investors.

Benefits Tokenize Real World Assets

Enhanced Liquidity

Traditionally illiquid assets, such as real estate and fine art, can be to challenging the buy or sell quickly. Tokenization facilitates the division of these assets into smaller tradable digital tokens, thereby increasing market liquidity and enabling faster transactions.

Fractional ownership

high-value assets mandate a substantial capital investment, which limits access to a small group of investors. However, with tokenization, these assets can be broken into smaller shares whereby multiple investors could come to own fractions of the asset. This democratizes the opportunity for investment and broadens participation in the market.

Efficiency and Decreases Costs

The application of tokenization settles processes such as settlement, record-keeping, and compliance on the blockchain. Accordingly, this reduces the need for intermediaries, lowers administrative expenses, and reduces cost per transaction. For example, the Hong Kong government issued a digital bond that reduced settlement time from five days to one.

Transparency and Security Upgraded

The important features of the blockchain promise an incorruptible, transparent ledger for all transactions. Ownership records are made secure against tampering and easily verifiable and hence fostering a greater sense of trust among investors and stakeholders and Transparency and Security Upgraded

Expanded Reach into the Market

Tokenization creates a borderless approach, enabling investors all around the world to reach and invest in a plethora of diverse assets. Aside from global reach, it creates an ecosystem that is more inclusive and opens the window for further possibilities in the world of investors and asset owners.

Conclusion

Tokenization of real-world assets (RWAs) signifies a new methodology for asset management and investment. Through converting a tangible or intangible asset into a digital token to be deployed on the blockchain this method aids in turning such assets into liquid forms permitting fractional ownership, and ensuring the performance of the transaction in a traceable manner. The whole process, from locating and appraising the asset to creating a secondary market, thus provides a systematic framework in applying blockchain technology to asset tokenization.

The increased operational efficiency, lower transaction costs, raised transparency, and wider access to the marketplace imply that, with the onset of tokenization, the very nature of investment opportunities is likely to undergo a drastic change with increased democratization from the heights of capital to meet investors on the streets. As this technology evolves, we will ﬁnd innovative solutions to asset management, enhancing the accessibility and efficiency of investments for a broad spectrum of investors.

#rwa tokenization #blockchain #digitalcurrency

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thebrandscalingexpert · 1 month ago

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How to Develop a P2P Crypto Exchange and How Much Does It Cost?

With the rise of cryptocurrencies, Peer-to-Peer (P2P) crypto exchanges have become a popular choice for users who want to trade digital assets directly with others. These decentralized platforms offer a more secure, private, and cost-effective way to buy and sell cryptocurrencies. If you’re considering building your own P2P crypto exchange, this blog will guide you through the development process and give you an idea of how much it costs to create such a platform.

What is a P2P Crypto Exchange?

A P2P crypto exchange is a decentralized platform that allows users to buy and sell cryptocurrencies directly with each other without relying on a central authority. These exchanges connect buyers and sellers through listings, and transactions are often protected by escrow services to ensure fairness and security. P2P exchanges typically offer lower fees, more privacy, and a variety of payment methods, making them an attractive alternative to traditional centralized exchanges.

Steps to Develop a P2P Crypto Exchange

Developing a P2P crypto exchange involves several key steps. Here’s a breakdown of the process:

1. Define Your Business Model

Before starting the development, it’s important to define the business model of your P2P exchange. You’ll need to decide on key factors like:

Currency Support: Which cryptocurrencies will your exchange support (e.g., Bitcoin, Ethereum, stablecoins)?

Payment Methods: What types of payment methods will be allowed (bank transfer, PayPal, cash, etc.)?

Fees: Will you charge a flat fee per transaction, a percentage-based fee, or a combination of both?

User Verification: Will your platform require Know-Your-Customer (KYC) verification?

2. Choose the Right Technology Stack

Building a P2P crypto exchange requires selecting the right technology stack. The key components include:

Backend Development: You'll need a backend to handle user registrations, transaction processing, security protocols, and matching buy/sell orders. Technologies like Node.js, Ruby on Rails, or Django are commonly used.

Frontend Development: The user interface (UI) must be intuitive, secure, and responsive. HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and React or Angular are popular choices for frontend development.

Blockchain Integration: Integrating blockchain technology to support cryptocurrency transactions is essential. This could involve setting up APIs for blockchain interaction or using open-source solutions like Ethereum or Binance Smart Chain (BSC).

Escrow System: An escrow system is crucial to protect both buyers and sellers during transactions. This involves coding or integrating a reliable escrow service that holds cryptocurrency until both parties confirm the transaction.

3. Develop Core Features

Key features to develop for your P2P exchange include:

User Registration and Authentication: Secure login options such as two-factor authentication (2FA) and multi-signature wallets.

Matching Engine: This feature matches buyers and sellers based on their criteria (e.g., price, payment method).

Escrow System: An escrow mechanism holds funds in a secure wallet until both parties confirm the transaction is complete.

Payment Gateway Integration: You’ll need to integrate payment gateways for fiat transactions (e.g., bank transfers, PayPal).

Dispute Resolution System: Provide a system where users can report issues, and a support team or automated process can resolve disputes.

Reputation System: Implement a feedback system where users can rate each other based on their transaction experience.

4. Security Measures

Security is critical when building any crypto exchange. Some essential security features include:

End-to-End Encryption: Ensure all user data and transactions are encrypted to protect sensitive information.

Cold Storage for Funds: Store the majority of the platform's cryptocurrency holdings in cold wallets to protect them from hacking attempts.

Anti-Fraud Measures: Implement mechanisms to detect fraudulent activity, such as IP tracking, behavior analysis, and AI-powered fraud detection.

Regulatory Compliance: Ensure your platform complies with global regulatory requirements like KYC and AML (Anti-Money Laundering) protocols.

5. Testing and Launch

After developing the platform, it’s essential to test it thoroughly. Perform both manual and automated testing to ensure all features are functioning properly, the platform is secure, and there are no vulnerabilities. This includes:

Unit testing

Load testing

Penetration testing

User acceptance testing (UAT)

Once testing is complete, you can launch the platform.

How Much Does It Cost to Develop a P2P Crypto Exchange?

The cost of developing a P2P crypto exchange depends on several factors, including the complexity of the platform, the technology stack, and the development team you hire. Here’s a general cost breakdown:

1. Development Team Cost

You can either hire an in-house development team or outsource the project to a blockchain development company. Here’s an estimated cost for each:

In-house Team: Hiring in-house developers can be more expensive, with costs ranging from $50,000 to $150,000+ per developer annually, depending on location.

Outsourcing: Outsourcing to a specialized blockchain development company can be more cost-effective, with prices ranging from $30,000 to $100,000 for a full-fledged P2P exchange platform, depending on the complexity and features.

2. Platform Design and UI/UX

The design of the platform is crucial for user experience and security. Professional UI/UX design can cost anywhere from $5,000 to $20,000 depending on the design complexity and features.

3. Blockchain Integration

Integrating blockchain networks (like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Binance Smart Chain, etc.) can be costly, with development costs ranging from $10,000 to $30,000 or more, depending on the blockchain chosen and the integration complexity.

4. Security and Compliance

Security is a critical component for a P2P exchange. Security audits, KYC/AML implementation, and regulatory compliance measures can add $10,000 to $50,000 to the total development cost.

5. Maintenance and Updates

Post-launch maintenance and updates (bug fixes, feature enhancements, etc.) typically cost about 15-20% of the initial development cost annually.

Total Estimated Cost

Basic Platform: $30,000 to $50,000

Advanced Platform: $70,000 to $150,000+

Conclusion

Developing a P2P crypto exchange requires careful planning, secure development, and a focus on providing a seamless user experience. The cost of developing a P2P exchange varies depending on factors like platform complexity, team, and security measures, but on average, it can range from $30,000 to $150,000+.

If you're looking to launch your own P2P crypto exchange, it's essential to partner with a reliable blockchain development company to ensure the project’s success and long-term sustainability. By focusing on security, user experience, and regulatory compliance, you can create a platform that meets the growing demand for decentralized crypto trading.

Feel free to adjust or expand on specific details to better suit your target audience!

#business #blockchain #crypto #bitcoin #cryptocurrency #altcoin

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probablyasocialecologist · 2 years ago

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It’s a cartel in the classic economic and business sense—OPEC, not Sinaloa—a small group of connected actors working together to dominate a market that they only recently helped create. For crypto, where money is fake, value is purely hype-based, and new tokens can be spun out of nothing, it makes perfect sense. It’s a small industry, notionally worth $3 trillion at its peak in November 2021 but now hovering around $1 trillion. Many leading crypto luminaries know each other, interact on social media, trade with each other, and hobnob at small private gatherings like the Satoshi Roundtable, an annual invite-only meeting of select crypto insiders. Last spring, I confirmed via some attendees that Jean-Louis van der Velde, Tether’s elusive Hong Kong-based CEO, was at the invite-only FTX conference in the Bahamas, alongside luminaries like Bill Clinton and Tony Blair. In a public Twitter exchange, Bankman-Fried—whose Alameda hedge fund allegedly bought at least $36 billion worth of Tether in just a few years—said he didn’t know if van der Velde was there. I didn’t believe him. Many crypto power players have histories with poker, online gambling, offshore finance, and/or other gray-market economies. A lot of them do business via so-called OTC, or over the counter, trades: person-to-person exchanges that might not leave a trace on the blockchain, crypto’s supposedly transparent public ledger. Over time, the industry, including its black-market participants, has developed its own protocols, social codes, and, as interests aligned, what amounted to an omerta. What was good for one member was often good for the rest.

#bitcoin #tether #crypto #cryptocurrency #ftx

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unpluggedfinancial · 3 months ago

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Bitcoin and Conscious Consumption: How Decentralization Fosters Mindful Financial Habits

In a world of endless consumption and instant gratification, conscious consumption emerges as a powerful antidote to mindless spending. At its core, conscious consumption means being intentional about how we spend, save, and invest our resources. While this concept isn't new, the rise of decentralized systems—particularly Bitcoin—has introduced powerful tools that can help foster this mindfulness in our financial habits. As we'll explore, decentralized systems do more than just facilitate transactions; they fundamentally empower individuals to align their financial behaviors with their long-term values.

The Problem: How Centralized Systems Discourage Mindfulness

Traditional financial systems, while familiar, often work against our efforts to maintain mindful financial habits. The centralized nature of these systems creates several significant obstacles to conscious consumption.

The first issue lies in our overreliance on trust. Centralized financial institutions obscure the flow of money through complex intermediaries and opaque processes. When we can't clearly see how our wealth is managed or devalued, it becomes challenging to make informed decisions about our financial future. This opacity often leads to a disconnection between our values and our financial choices.

Inflation presents another significant challenge. Fiat currency, by design, loses purchasing power over time. This inherent devaluation creates a perverse incentive structure that encourages immediate spending rather than thoughtful saving. When money consistently loses value, the natural response is to spend it quickly, often on items or services that don't align with our long-term goals or values.

Perhaps most problematically, centralized banking systems promote consumer debt cycles. Easy credit and minimal savings incentives create a culture of overconsumption, where immediate gratification takes precedence over long-term financial health. This debt-driven consumption pattern can trap individuals in cycles of spending and borrowing that are difficult to break.

Bitcoin as a Tool for Financial Awareness

Bitcoin introduces a paradigm shift in how we interact with money, promoting greater awareness and intentionality in our financial decisions. The blockchain's transparent nature allows anyone to verify transactions and track the movement of funds, fostering a trustless system where verification replaces blind trust in institutions.

Bitcoin's deflationary design, with its capped supply of 21 million coins, fundamentally changes our relationship with money. Unlike fiat currency, which incentivizes spending through inflation, Bitcoin's scarcity encourages holders to think carefully before parting with their assets. This characteristic naturally promotes saving over impulsive spending, aligning with the principles of conscious consumption.

The concept of self-custody in Bitcoin represents another powerful driver of financial mindfulness. Managing your own Bitcoin wallet requires understanding private keys, security practices, and transaction mechanisms. This responsibility forces users to engage more deeply with their financial decisions, promoting a more thoughtful approach to wealth management.

Decentralization and Empowered Decision-Making

Decentralized finance (DeFi) removes traditional intermediaries from financial transactions, giving individuals direct control over their assets. This disintermediation does more than reduce costs—it creates a direct connection between individuals and their financial decisions, promoting more intentional choices about how money is used and invested.

The global accessibility of Bitcoin and other decentralized systems has profound implications for financial inclusion. Communities historically excluded from traditional banking now have access to powerful financial tools, enabling them to participate in the global economy on their own terms. This accessibility promotes intentional financial behaviors by providing previously unavailable options for saving and investing.

Decentralization naturally encourages long-term thinking. Bitcoin's design and adoption pattern align with multi-generational wealth building, pushing users to think in decades rather than days. This extended time horizon helps align financial decisions with deeper values and long-term goals.

Bitcoin's Role in Encouraging Mindful Consumption

The Bitcoin ecosystem promotes mindfulness in unexpected ways. The ongoing discussion about Bitcoin mining's energy usage has sparked greater awareness about sustainable energy consumption. This conversation encourages users to think more deeply about the environmental impact of their financial choices.

Holding Bitcoin often leads to a reevaluation of materialistic tendencies. As users watch their Bitcoin appreciate over time, many develop a greater appreciation for value accumulation over immediate consumption. This shift in perspective can lead to more thoughtful spending decisions across all areas of life.

Transaction fees in the Bitcoin network serve as a natural brake on frivolous spending. Unlike traditional payment systems that obscure costs through "free" transactions, Bitcoin's fee structure makes users think twice before initiating transactions, promoting more intentional spending habits.

The Ripple Effect of Conscious Financial Behavior

The adoption of decentralized systems can catalyze broader positive changes in financial behavior. By encouraging saving and long-term investment, these systems promote financial independence rather than reliance on centralized institutions or government safety nets.

As communities adopt Bitcoin and other decentralized tools, they often develop cultures of more responsible spending and giving. The transparency and immutability of blockchain transactions can foster greater accountability in charitable giving and community investment.

The financial discipline promoted by Bitcoin often extends to other areas of life. Many users report that after adopting Bitcoin, they become more mindful of their overall consumption patterns and more interested in sustainable living practices.

Conclusion

Decentralized systems like Bitcoin represent more than just technological innovation—they're catalysts for a philosophical shift in how we think about and use money. By providing tools that naturally align with conscious consumption principles, these systems empower individuals to take greater control of their financial futures.

As you consider your own financial journey, take time to reflect on how your financial decisions align with your long-term values. Consider how decentralized tools might help you live more consciously and intentionally. Whether you're just beginning to explore Bitcoin or are already deeply involved in decentralized finance, remember that each financial decision is an opportunity to align your actions with your values.

The path to conscious consumption isn't about perfection—it's about progress. By leveraging the mindfulness-promoting features of decentralized systems, we can all work toward a future where our financial choices better reflect our values and aspirations.

Take Action Towards Financial Independence

If this article has sparked your interest in the transformative potential of Bitcoin, there's so much more to explore! Dive deeper into the world of financial independence and revolutionize your understanding of money by following my blog and subscribing to my YouTube channel.

🌐 Blog: Unplugged Financial Blog Stay updated with insightful articles, detailed analyses, and practical advice on navigating the evolving financial landscape. Learn about the history of money, the flaws in our current financial systems, and how Bitcoin can offer a path to a more secure and independent financial future.

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Donate Bitcoin: bc1qpn98s4gtlvy686jne0sr8ccvfaxz646kk2tl8lu38zz4dvyyvflqgddylk

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trump-executive-orders · 3 months ago

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Strengthening American Leadership in Digital Financial Technology

Issued January 23, 2025.

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and in order to promote United States leadership in digital assets and financial technology while protecting economic liberty, it is hereby ordered as follows:

Section 1. Purpose and Policies. (a) The digital asset industry plays a crucial role in innovation and economic development in the United States, as well as our Nation's international leadership. It is therefore the policy of my Administration to support the responsible growth and use of digital assets, blockchain technology, and related technologies across all sectors of the economy, including by:

(i) protecting and promoting the ability of individual citizens and private-sector entities alike to access and use for lawful purposes open public blockchain networks without persecution, including the ability to develop and deploy software, to participate in mining and validating, to transact with other persons without unlawful censorship, and to maintain self-custody of digital assets;

(ii) promoting and protecting the sovereignty of the United States dollar, including through actions to promote the development and growth of lawful and legitimate dollar-backed stablecoins worldwide;

(iii) protecting and promoting fair and open access to banking services for all law-abiding individual citizens and private-sector entities alike;

(iv) providing regulatory clarity and certainty built on technology-neutral regulations, frameworks that account for emerging technologies, transparent decision making, and well-defined jurisdictional regulatory boundaries, all of which are essential to supporting a vibrant and inclusive digital economy and innovation in digital assets, permissionless blockchains, and distributed ledger technologies; and

(v) taking measures to protect Americans from the risks of Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs), which threaten the stability of the financial system, individual privacy, and the sovereignty of the United States, including by prohibiting the establishment, issuance, circulation, and use of a CBDC within the jurisdiction of the United States.

Sec. 2. Definitions. (a) For the purpose of this order, the term "digital asset" refers to any digital representation of value that is recorded on a distributed ledger, including cryptocurrencies, digital tokens, and stablecoins.

(b) The term "blockchain" means any technology where data is:

(i) shared across a network to create a public ledger of verified transactions or information among network participants;

(ii) linked using cryptography to maintain the integrity of the public ledger and to execute other functions;

(iii) distributed among network participants in an automated fashion to concurrently update network participants on the state of the public ledger and any other functions; and

(iv) composed of source code that is publicly available.

(c) "Central Bank Digital Currency" means a form of digital money or monetary value, denominated in the national unit of account, that is a direct liability of the central bank.

Sec. 3. Revocation of Executive Order 14067 and Department of the Treasury Framework of July 7, 2022. (a) Executive Order 14067 of March 9, 2022 (Ensuring Responsible Development of Digital Assets) is hereby revoked.

(b) The Secretary of the Treasury is directed to immediately revoke the Department of the Treasury's "Framework for International Engagement on Digital Assets," issued on July 7, 2022.

(c) All policies, directives, and guidance issued pursuant to Executive Order 14067 and the Department of the Treasury's Framework for International Engagement on Digital Assets are hereby rescinded or shall be rescinded by the Secretary of the Treasury, as appropriate, to the extent they are inconsistent with the provisions of this order.

(d) The Secretary of the Treasury shall take all appropriate measures to ensure compliance with the policies set forth in this order.

Sec. 4. Establishment of the President's Working Group on Digital Asset Markets. (a) There is hereby established within the National Economic Council the President's Working Group on Digital Asset Markets (Working Group). The Working Group shall be chaired by the Special Advisor for AI and Crypto (Chair). In addition to the Chair, the Working Group shall include the following officials, or their designees:

(i) the Secretary of the Treasury;

(ii) the Attorney General;

(iii) the Secretary of Commerce;

(iv) the Secretary of Homeland Security;

(v) the Director of the Office of Management and Budget;

(vi) the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs:

(vii) the Assistant to the President for National Economic Policy (APEP);

(viii) the Assistant to the President for Science and Technology;

(ix) the Homeland Security Advisor;

(x) the Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission; and

(xi) the Chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

(xii) As appropriate and consistent with applicable law, the Chair may invite the heads of other executive departments and agencies (agencies) or other senior officials within the Executive Office of the President, to attend meetings of the Working Group, based on the relevance of their expertise and responsibilities.

(b) Within 30 days of the date of this order, the Department of the Treasury, the Department of Justice, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and other relevant agencies, the heads of which are included in the Working Group, shall identify all regulations, guidance documents, orders, or other items that affect the digital asset sector. Within 60 days of the date of this order, each agency shall submit to the Chair recommendations with respect to whether each identified regulation, guidance document, order, or other item should be rescinded or modified, or, for items other than regulations, adopted in a regulation.

(c) Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Working Group shall submit a report to the President, through the APEP, which shall recommend regulatory and legislative proposals that advance the policies established in this order. In particular, the report shall focus on the following:

(i) The Working Group shall propose a Federal regulatory framework governing the issuance and operation of digital assets, including stablecoins, in the United States. The Working Group's report shall consider provisions for market structure, oversight, consumer protection, and risk management.

(ii) The Working Group shall evaluate the potential creation and maintenance of a national digital asset stockpile and propose criteria for establishing such a stockpile, potentially derived from cryptocurrencies lawfully seized by the Federal Government through its law enforcement efforts.

(d) The Chair shall designate an Executive Director of the Working Group, who shall be responsible for coordinating its day-to-day functions. On issues affecting the national security, the Working Group shall consult with the National Security Council.

(e) As appropriate and consistent with law, the Working Group shall hold public hearings and receive individual expertise from leaders in digital assets and digital markets.

Sec. 5. Prohibition of Central Bank Digital Currencies

(a) Except to the extent required by law, agencies are hereby prohibited from undertaking any action to establish, issue, or promote CBDCs within the jurisdiction of the United States or abroad.

(b) Except to the extent required by law, any ongoing plans or initiatives at any agency related to the creation of a CBDC within the jurisdiction of the United States shall be immediately terminated, and no further actions may be taken to develop or implement such plans or initiatives.

Sec. 6. Severability. (a) If any provision of this order, or the application of any provision to any person or circumstance, is held to be invalid, the remainder of this order and the application of its provisions to any other persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby.

Sec. 7. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

#us government #us politics #executive orders #cryptocurrency

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crypto-badger · 4 months ago

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“Because even ugly can be iconic.” Welcome to the Beth Community!

Are you ready to embrace imperfection and join a movement that redefines what it means to succeed in the blockchain world?Meet $BETH — the token that’s proving you don’t need to be flawless to leave an unforgettable mark.

Beth is here to disrupt, grow, and deliver real value while embracing her unapologetically chaotic energy. If you’re ready to become a #BethHead, here’s everything you need to know to join this revolutionary community!

How to Buy $BETH

Step 1: Create a Wallet with Phantom

Head to phantom.app and set up a new account using the Phantom app or browser extension.

Step 2: Get Some $SOL

Buy Solana ($SOL) through the app’s BUY button or transfer $SOL from your preferred crypto exchange to your Phantom wallet.

Step 3: Swap $SOL for $BETH

In your Phantom wallet, tap the SWAP icon and paste the $BETH token address:

7uJrMsDN2Wxdc3VAq1iK9N5AHaTA7wUpbm1wqRonpump

Swap your $SOL for $BETH, and voilà — you’re officially part of the #BethHead community!

Achievements So Far

In just nine days, Beth has achieved milestones that many projects dream of:

Listed on CoinGecko, Ascendex, Gate.io, and CoinMarketCap (fast-tracked).

3000+ Telegram members and 1500 X followers.

Billboard presence outside Space X for a week.

Two golden tickers on DEX Screener.

A team of over 20 admins hosting 24/7 voice chats.

Beth’s Vision: From Meme to Machine

Beth isn’t just another meme token. She’s a movement with a mission: to turn her relatability and underdog story into a community-driven success.

Here’s what Beth is building:

Community: A passionate and growing network of holders and fans.

Utility: Gated groups, tools, and an ecosystem that delivers real value.

Beth’s tokenomics reflect her commitment to growth and transparency:

Total Supply: 1 Billion $BETH Tokens

Distribution:

5% for burning and influencers. 95% circulating supply.

The Beth Ecosystem

Beth’s ecosystem is expanding rapidly, with partnerships across Centralized Exchanges (CEX) and Decentralized Exchanges (DEX). Future developments include:

Exclusive NFTs with perks like private events and voting power.

Beth-branded merchandise.

Launch of $BETH Academy and $BETH Tools.

Why the World Needs $BETH

Beth isn’t competing with trendy .jpg tokens. She’s here to prove that the real power in crypto lies in community and authenticity. Whether you’re a seasoned crypto enthusiast or a curious newcomer, Beth welcomes you with open arms.

Get Involved

Join the conversation, stay updated, and connect with the Beth community through our social channels.

SOCIALS : https://linktr.ee/bethsol

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bigvee1 · 4 months ago

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How Tobi and STON.fi Are Simplifying Crypto for Everyone

If you're like me, you've probably felt overwhelmed at some point by the complexities of crypto. There are so many networks, tokens, and wallets to keep track of. It can feel like you need to be a blockchain expert just to get started. But here's the good news: you don’t have to be. With tools like Tobi and STON.fi, crypto can be easier, faster, and more accessible for everyone, no matter your experience level. Let me walk you through how this all works.

What is Tobi and How Can It Help You

Picture this: You’re trying to make a trade in crypto, but it’s taking too long, and you're getting frustrated. That's where Tobi comes in. Tobi is a smart Telegram bot designed to help you swap tokens quickly and easily across different networks.

If you’re new to crypto, think of Tobi like a digital assistant that takes care of the technical stuff for you. You don’t need to worry about the complicated backend details; Tobi simplifies it all. It even gives you access to your very own non-custodial wallet, meaning you’re always in control of your funds—like having a safe where only you hold the key.

What Does STON.fi Add to the Mix

Now, let’s talk about STON.fi. If Tobi is your helpful assistant, STON.fi is the powerful engine behind it, making sure everything runs smoothly. STON.fi is a decentralized exchange (DEX) that operates on the TON Blockchain, and it powers Tobi’s ability to swap tokens efficiently and securely.

Imagine you’re using a kitchen blender to make a smoothie. Without the blender, you’d still have all the ingredients, but it wouldn’t be as quick or easy. STON.fi is that blender, making the process of token swapping quick, seamless, and efficient. It's the tool that makes sure Tobi’s simple interface works on a deeper level.

Why Should You Care About This Partnership

At this point, you're probably wondering: Why does this even matter to you? Here’s the deal: using Tobi and STON.fi together creates a better experience for anyone who wants to trade crypto. And here’s why:

1. Lower Costs

You know how paying high fees can eat into your profits? Traditional exchanges often charge a lot for trades. But STON.fi keeps those fees lower, meaning more of your money stays in your pocket.

2. Faster Transactions

In crypto, timing is everything. Delays can cost you big. With STON.fi’s efficient system, trades are completed quickly, so you don’t have to wait around. Think of it like checking out at the grocery store—nobody wants to wait in a long line.

3. You’re in Control

With Tobi’s non-custodial wallet, you’re the one holding the keys to your crypto. It’s like owning a safe where only you know the combination. This means your funds stay private and secure, no one else has access to them.

4. No Technical Jargon

If you’ve ever been frustrated by all the jargon in the crypto world, Tobi makes it easy. It’s built to be simple and intuitive, so you don’t need a technical background to start using it. Just a few taps, and you’re ready to trade.

The Bigger Picture: A Growing Ecosystem

Tobi and STON.fi are part of something bigger. The TON Blockchain ecosystem is expanding with projects like Tonkeeper, Punk City, and Tap Fantasy. These projects all work together to build a decentralized, user-friendly space where anyone can participate, whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting out.

It’s like a community where everyone helps each other out, each project adding value to the next. When you use Tobi and STON.fi, you’re not just using a tool—you’re helping to shape the future of crypto and decentralized finance (DeFi).

Final Thoughts: Crypto Doesn’t Have to Be Complicated

If there’s one takeaway from all of this, it’s that crypto doesn’t have to be hard. With Tobi and STON.fi, you’ve got tools that make trading smoother, faster, and more accessible. Whether you’re just dipping your toes into crypto or you’ve been at it for years, these tools help you take control of your financial journey without all the complexity.

Crypto is about empowerment, and these tools are here to give you the power to make smarter, quicker decisions with your trades. So, next time you’re looking to swap tokens, don’t stress—Tobi and STON.fi have got your back. You don’t need to be an expert to navigate this space; you just need the right tools, and now you have them.

#defi #blockchain #stonfi #ton blockchain

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attainnaharbristy78585 · 3 months ago

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Elon Musk’s Five-Pronged Approach to Reducing Government

Challenging Regulatory Overreach

Privatizing Space Exploration

Advocating for Free Speech and Decentralization

Developing Alternative Energy and Infrastructure

Advancing AI and Automation to Limit Government’s Role

Conclusion

go to website...

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rajasthan-political-leader · 4 months ago

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We Are All Committed to Make Rajasthan the Capital of Skill Development: Col Rajyavardhan Rathore

Colonel Rajyavardhan Rathore, a visionary leader and advocate for youth empowerment, has set forth an ambitious goal: transforming Rajasthan into the capital of skill development in India. With a strong belief in the potential of the state’s youth, he emphasizes the importance of skilling, upskilling, and reskilling to prepare for a future driven by innovation and technology.

Through comprehensive policies and initiatives, Colonel Rathore and the double-engine BJP government are laying the groundwork for a skilled Rajasthan, making it a beacon of progress for the nation.

Why Skill Development is Key to Rajasthan’s Progress

1. Preparing for the Future Workforce

In today’s rapidly evolving job market, skill development is crucial to:

Equip youth with industry-relevant skills.

Bridge the gap between education and employment.

Enhance productivity and innovation in the workforce.

2. Boosting Employment Opportunities

Skill development creates a robust ecosystem by:

Increasing employability in high-demand sectors like IT, healthcare, and manufacturing.

Promoting entrepreneurship by fostering a culture of self-reliance.

Supporting rural and urban communities with localized training programs.

3. Enhancing Rajasthan’s Competitiveness

Rajasthan’s focus on skill development strengthens its position as:

A preferred destination for investments in industries and technology.

A hub for talent that meets global standards.

A state that aligns its workforce with national and international opportunities.

Key Initiatives to Make Rajasthan the Skill Capital

1. Establishing Skill Universities and Training Centers

The government has initiated the creation of:

World-class skill development universities.

Training centers in collaboration with global leaders in education and technology.

2. Focus on Sector-Specific Training

To address industry-specific needs, programs are being tailored for sectors like:

Agriculture: Modern techniques and sustainable practices.

Information Technology: AI, blockchain, and cybersecurity.

Tourism and Hospitality: Global service standards.

3. Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs)

The government actively collaborates with private entities to:

Leverage expertise in cutting-edge technologies.

Ensure training is aligned with industry demands.

Expand reach through digital learning platforms.

4. Empowering Women and Marginalized Communities

Special focus is placed on inclusive development by:

Offering skill training programs for women in rural areas.

Providing resources and mentorship to marginalized communities.

Encouraging participation in leadership roles and entrepreneurial ventures.

5. Digital Platforms and E-Learning

Harnessing the power of technology, the government is:

Launching e-learning platforms for remote training.

Promoting digital literacy among youth in rural and semi-urban regions.

Collaborating with ed-tech companies to deliver interactive, high-quality content.

Colonel Rajyavardhan Rathore’s Commitment

Colonel Rathore, known for his hands-on approach, has been instrumental in:

Advocating policies that prioritize skill development.

Engaging with youth to understand their aspirations and challenges.

Ensuring the implementation of programs that have a tangible impact on lives.

His commitment reflects a broader vision of transforming Rajasthan into a state where every individual has the tools to succeed in a competitive world.

Conclusion

The journey to making Rajasthan the capital of skill development is a collective mission that requires the combined efforts of the government, private sector, and citizens. Under the leadership of Colonel Rajyavardhan Rathore, this vision is steadily becoming a reality, empowering the youth and positioning Rajasthan as a frontrunner in India’s growth story.

Together, with determination and innovation, the state is set to redefine the benchmarks of skill development and create prosperity for generations to come.

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