In a virtual keynote speech at the Bitcoin 2024 conference in Nashville, whistleblower Edward Snowden cautioned attendees about politicians trying to win over the crypto community. Snowden, who has been living in exile in Russia since 2013 after leaking classified documents about U.S. government surveillance programs, delivered a message of skepticism towards politicians seeking the "love" of Bitcoiners.
"Cast a vote, but don't join a cult," Snowden said. "They are not our tribe. They are not your personality. They have their own interests, their own values, and their own things they're chasing. Try to get what you need from them, but don't give yourself to them, even if you have to vote for them."
Snowden's speech came shortly after Republican Senators Cynthia Lummis, Tim Scott, and Bill Hagerty addressed the conference, pledging support for the cryptocurrency industry and criticizing regulators like SEC Chairman Gary Gensler. Former President Donald Trump, the 2024 Republican nominee, is scheduled to speak at the event on July 27.
In his remarks, Snowden highlighted the potential dangers of the public Bitcoin blockchain being used by governments for surveillance purposes, calling for stricter privacy laws in the U.S. He argued that without regulation, agencies could collect and analyze transaction data to profile individuals' lives.
"When they have your transaction history, they have your life history," Snowden said. "We're all running on a treadmill. For what? Right now, we're doing it for the likes, trying to get approval and acceptance. We need to start cooperating instead of competing to find our way out of this hole That's not this election — it's this system."
Despite his warning, Snowden has been a long-time supporter of Bitcoin and has often spoken virtually at crypto events to discuss financial privacy and government surveillance. However, as of July 2024, neither former President Trump nor the current administration have pardoned Snowden, despite some past indications they may consider it.
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