100 sats \ 3 replies \ @kr 19 Jul 2022 \ on: I'm Alex Gladstein. CSO of the Human Rights Foundation. AMA bitcoin
What is your favorite story about how people under authoritarian rule are using Bitcoin to improve their lives today?
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207 sats \ 2 replies \ @gladstein OP 19 Jul 2022 freebie
Hard to say. There are so many!
One powerful example was Hong Kongers in exile using Bitcoin to support human rights advocacy inside the city from abroad.
Another is a Burmese activist who escaped from his country using BTC as a lifeline.
Yet another is a Russian independent media outlet that is using Bitcoin to help sustain its operations after it was forced to leave Russia.
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10 sats \ 1 reply \ @kr 19 Jul 2022
Interesting, what is the onboarding process like for these groups?
How quickly do they “get” the value of Bitcoin? What are their biggest challenges in actually acquiring Bitcoin?
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347 sats \ 0 replies \ @gladstein OP 19 Jul 2022
Most people under authoritarian regimes immediately grasp the power of a currency that is not controlled by a government.
Of course, they are very curious: how is it beyond the control of the state? What gives it value? Why is it volatile? How do I get some?
The onboarding process takes time, months or years, and demands patience and an open mind :)
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