Part 15/17:
Challenges and Opportunities in Privacy and Data
Finally, Antonopoulos spotlights the issue of data privacy. He asserts that current systems commodify personal data, with micro payments often used to extract value from individuals’ privacy—analogs to "micro violations" of privacy through targeted advertising or surveillance. Bitcoin, by design, respects user privacy: transactions are pseudonymous, and identifying individuals is deliberately made difficult.
He warns against centralized identity efforts that threaten privacy—highlighting the importance of decentralized cryptography to preserve individual rights amid increasing surveillance.