Today’s Historic Front Page: November 6, 2024

Please do not record your abortions on the blockchain

I must once again urge you: please do not record your abortions on the blockchain. There are a lot of very worried people right now, fearful of an impending regime that may well crack down on things like reproductive care, gender-affirming care, or the ability for immigrants to even continue to remain in the US. Some have suggested people get familiar with cryptocurrencies in the event they might have to circumvent an authoritarian state. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: in very bad situations, bad solutions can sometimes still be better than nothing. I make no secret of my views on the cryptocurrency industry, but I am the last to judge a person for using whatever means they have available to them to take care of themselves and others. But please remember that most popular cryptocurrencies use public ledgers, where every transaction is visible to anyone who cares to look (no warrant required), where true anonymity is extremely challenging, and where tracing technology is getting only more sophisticated. Popular on-ramps like Coinbase and Gemini and other exchanges require customers to provide similar kinds of identification as banks, linking your future transactions to your real-life identity. (And many of these companies have thrown themselves wholeheartedly behind Trump, by the way, despite their “anti-authoritarian” claims).  There are cryptocurrencies that are more anonymous than the bitcoins and ethereums of the world (privacycoins like Monero and Zcash for example), though there are still attempts to trace these types of tokens and you have to be knowledgeable and very cautious about how you use them so as not to inadvertently reveal your identity. If you’re in a bad situation, do whatever it is you need to do. I’m certainly not going to judge you. But please be very cautious, and be highly skeptical of anyone who presents cryptocurrency as a magic solution to authoritarianism. Further reading: “Abuse and harassment on the blockchain”, “Anonymous cryptocurrency wallets are not so simple”

A Rubberized Cybertruck Is Plowing Through European Pedestrian Safety Rules

Tesla’s troubled electric pickup is illegal in Europe, yet somehow a barely modified model has found a way to get licensed. A group of European transport organizations claim this ride could spell disaster.

Early in-person voting starts today (Oct 21) in Connecticut! - Lemmy

Ford government to restrict new bike lanes in bid to ease gridlock

Premier Doug Ford's government is planning to override municipal powers in a controversial effort to ease gridlock.

The scramble for larger vehicles is putting more Americans’ lives in danger

As vehicles grow ever larger in the United States, their "safety" benefits for drivers diminish while the danger for pedestrians and other drivers rises. From SUVs to oversized pickup trucks, the shift toward heftier cars has become normal for many drivers seeking a sense of security. But beyond a certain weight, these vehicles offer no extra safety to drivers and make the roads more hazardous for others. Removing just the heaviest vehicle fleet could save many lives on the road.