Cryptocurrency 101

Everyone has heard of Bitcoin, but almost no one understands what the heck is actually is. Today I’m interviewing Seth from Seth for Privacy who knows cryptocurrency backwards and forwards. Seth is also a privacy advocate who understands the broader implications of digital currency. I’ll ask him to explain how cryptocurrency works, what the blockchain is, how crypto mining affects our environment, whether cryptocurrency is truly anonymous, and how cryptocurrency has any value whatsoever – and much more! Seth is a privacy educator, Monero contributor, and host of the Opt Out podcast. Further Info Opt Out podcast, https://optoutpod.com Seth’s bio: https://sethforprivacy.com/about/  Seth’s Twitter feed: https://twitter.com/sethforprivacy  Why Cryptocurrencies? https://whycryptocurrencies.com/toc.html  Local Monero: https://localmonero.co/  Cryptocurrency ATMs: https://coinatmradar.com/  Bitcoin energy consumption: https://niccarter.info/topics/#energy  Was Bitcoin Created by This International Drug Dealer? https://www.wired.com/story/was-bitcoin-created-by-this-international-drug-dealer-maybe/  XKCD comic – $5 wrench: https://xkcd.com/538/  Byzantine Generals Problem: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byzantine_fault  Inside the Bitcoin Bust That Took Down the Web’s Biggest Child Abuse Site https://www.wired.com/story/tracers-in-the-dark-welcome-to-video-crypto-anonymity-myth/  Hot Wallets vs Cold Wallets: https://appleinsider.com/articles/22/06/04/crypto-101-the-difference-between-hot-and-cold-wallets  Microsoft unpatched vulnerability: https://www.kaspersky.com/blog/follina-cve-2022-30190-msdt/44461/  Dragon Coins & Passphrases Get your Dragon Challenge Coin!! https://firewallsdontstopdragons.com/return-of-the-dragon-coins/  Generate secure passphrases! https://d20key.com/#/