pull down to refresh

OK guys, first of all, please don't throw me more sats for this post. Is just a discussion. If you really want to push the thread to be more visible, just upvote it with 1 or 2 sats.

What I learned from this little experiment I had yesterday.

The whole idea started, after I watched @JoeNakamoto post about living in Cuba with Bitcoin. So I thought will be a nice experiment and engage some cubans into using Bitcoin.
But I waited 9h refreshing the thread every 2-3 min to see if some of them will come up.
So here are some point learned until now from this (more things will be added later):
  • not everybody understand the "game" proposed. Maybe I wasn't so clear in explaining the conditions.
  • I missed to add a SN invitation link for those that will read the post, but they still do not have a SN account. And they could be afraid to start one or even using an anon account to post.
  • many stackers still don't know how to post an image on SN. @k00b maybe we can do something more clear with this in the post frame. Also are many mobile users and is not so handy for them to use external image services like postimg. People were sending me images/videos over Telegram so I had to re-post them into the thread, to keep a record of the facts.
  • some stackers are paying attention to the details (like Dr.Shift did with his post ) and added all the details in the request for payment, as it was requested into the thread conditions. He even went to onboard a new merchant! That was a great achievement!
  • we have big differences of time zones. I tried to stay awake as much as I could to cover more times zones and be able to pay the invoice in time. Will not be a great experience if people will start posting LN invoices here and I am sleeping. But one thing that stackers didn't get it is that this thread wasn't only for me to do it. Anybody can take a LN invoice and pay it forward. Some were preferring to give me the sats and do it for them, That wasn't my intention! I don't want to be the bank for anybody. Also the feeling to pay it forward is immense and people should try it.
  • paying from SN account is not so handy and do not provide too many details. Yes we know, SN is not meant to be used like that. But will be nice to be. So I opened a Github issue here. Sometimes I had to pay from my other external LN wallets because people were sending me images of QR codes, not the LN code invoice.
  • we still not have the enough tools to be able to run an experiment like this on SN, but was fun and I think many people learned a lesson.
Please add whatever other observation about the experiment here and maybe we come up with better ideas how to onboard more merchants and nocoiners.
I would love to see more of these and have more opportunities to buy someone a cross-boarder coffee or even groceries. This has so much potential!!! I think this is approaching a really cool way for real, immediate, effective charity. Wouldn't it be great if a similar event were to happen in South Africa where we could buy groceries for children at PicknPay in real time. Bitcoin is just too cool.
reply
Please, if you are living there in SA, send me a LN invoice for that boy. I will buy his groceries right away! This is not about charity, don't get me wrong. Is about Bitcoin adoption.
reply
It was a great think to see.
I just wanted to know your opinion...In a Telegram group were talking about your initiative and one of the Admin posted: "Be careful participating in group Bitcoin payment events, they could be trying to collect data."
Another comment: "Privacy is metadata. Loss of privacy happens when you reveal metadata to more witnesses than you need to. Here is one of the invoices he paid, decoded: https://lightningdecoder.com/lnbc100u1pjs5x5epp578938ncj496q7cyygrvaj8x09acl306t5qmruu47v8jsckxsh2csdqggd5xjan0cqzzsxqrrssrzjqvphmsywntrrhqjcraumvc4y6r8v4z5v593trte429v4hredj7ms5rpeeqqqt9cqqyqqqqqqqqqqqqqq9qsp5n3ltws4wsp82rzst4xswa6f9vyk375a0y00ulvh4f96m66kzzavs9qyyssqmgn87275sncg49lzqg4ls40jx7ctnk4rzth5eqpt863ec7tkxwzznyy6f6s4tm5c92ffng9fk8pnenyv60z6s8k9wky7yken9dqvu6sphzmvwx This info can also be used to probe the channels, monitor the node, and all of this contributes to being able to monitor the network graph This data can also be correlated with the username of the account that posted it, etc."
So, my question is if this is a real issue, how can we use LN for receiving payment in a private way? Or this comments are not ...
Thanks!
reply
If you post a LN invoice that is about to buy something more private (I would not mention what) and sensitive, then yes, never do it.
But if you just about buying a beer from a local that si already know WHERE and WHO is it, what is the problem?
If we are afraid to pay with sats for a beer, I don't know why we are going to get out on the streets anymore, just stay at home, do nothing.
STOP LIVING IN FEAR AND REBUT ALL GOVS CLAIMS OVER YOU.
reply
Yes, indeed a LN invoice posted on public forums is not indicated.
In this particular case is just about onboarding new people and making an exsperiement. As I said in the instructions post: you can use whatever LN wallet. For those "privacy" obsessed people, they could just spin-up a new LN wallet and use it exclusively for this experiment, I don't care.
Paying for a beer, I t don't think is such a danger to be arrested or killed or something. Sometimes people are going too extreme with all these "privacy" concerns. You will find from a LN invoice who is receiving but not who is sending or from where...
how can we use LN for receiving payment in a private way?
I wrote several guides about that (I hope you read them):
.... and many more.
We should start living without fear anymore.
reply
reply
I thought it was really great how fast you posted your reflections so that what was originally your initiative could spread its wings n take off. Fast iterations are the key.
I will try to find time to participate in this!
reply
"many stackers still don't know how to post an image on SN" Yeah, the image thing on SN could do with some improvements in therms of usability.
reply
I didn't see your post about the original experiment, but it sounds like a great idea. I'd like to try it too, but maybe to overcome the timezone difference there could be some automation to the process. (Unfortunately I am not someone with the time or expertise to build such automation)
Another thought would be to work with friends/merchants locally. Demonstrating the power of bitcoin across borders is cool, but I'm sure people would appreciate free coffee even if the payment is coming locally!
reply
I didn't see your post about the original experiment
LOL are you blind? Is even in caps posted in this thread!
reply
I mean I didn't see it when it was first posted. Only saw it via this post.
reply
Then why are you on SN if you do not see the important posts?
reply
It's because I work all day yesterday and did not really check SN until this morning
reply
Whaaat? You are not addicted to SN? Shame on you!
reply
I am sorry! I will check SN more frequently from now on ;)
reply
deleted by author
reply
Adding more "items" to this:
  • "toxic kindness" #259460 is a new term for the toxic and psychopath maxis.
  • being kind, it doesn't cost you too much and is opening your heart to the world
  • Bitcoin changed my life totally. So I could also change it for others, by doing good with Bitcoin.
reply
deleted by author
reply
Indeed. And the reaction is even more exciting when is a nocoiner merchant that never used bitcoin before. In your case, with a lady from El Salvador, is showing the power of Bitcoin over borders, because those humble people were using until now all those bloodsucker money remittances like Western Union etc. The experience seeing BTC/LN in real time is amazing. Is exactly like this:
reply
deleted by author
reply
deleted by author
reply
I am really afraid to zap you back... I don't want to start another storm... But please comment your opinion about that experiment.
reply