Vitalik reveals the Ethereum plan to end surveillance

Vitalik Butein, the co -founder of Ethereum, sees a world come in which artificial intelligence (AI) can read even the thoughts of humans, and about it manifests concern. So, he proposes a plan to stop digital surveillance, and has detailed it in a publication entitled «Why support privacy?»

In its extensive essay, Bugerin exposes a vision in which Privacy is understood as a right, and as an essential basis for freedomsocial order and technological progress. Therefore, to protect it, it proposes to use advanced cryptographic tools such as ZK-SNARKS or zero knowledge tests and homomorphic encryption (FHE), which makes it possible to process data without deciphering them. All this with the idea of ​​returning control to users and preserving decentralization in the cryptocurrency ecosystem.

In such a way that Bugerin connects the present with the Cypherpunk ideals and evokes a sense of epic continuity, positioning himself as an heir of a historical struggle that aligns with the vision of Satoshi Nakamoto. And, as of what Nakamoto looked for with Bitcoin, that is, to release the finances from centralized control through cryptography, Bugerin pursues with Ethereum a privacy that protects individual freedom against surveillancecontinuing the legacy of decentralization and autonomy.

«Today, privacy can no longer be ignored,» Btterin writes, aiming at the fact that AI has multiplied surveillance capacity, and emerging technologies, such as brain-computer interfaces, could even expose our thoughts. Faced with this, Buterin highlights cryptographic advances such as:

• ZK-SNARKS (zero knowledge tests) that allow to verify information without revealing it.
• Homomorphic encryption (FHE) that makes it possible to process data without deciphering them.
• Obfusation, with future techniques to hide algorithms.

Therefore, his manifesto is A call to build a digital ecosystem where surveillance is not the norm. In such a way that, by making cryptographic tools open, universal and safe, Ethereum seeks to empower users and counteract the tendency towards a «technological hegemony» where few control everyone’s data. In Butein’s words, privacy is «the best of possible worlds,» a balance that preserves freedom, order and progress against the future where total transparency threatens to erode human autonomy.

Ethereum’s plan focuses on three key strategies to combat surveillance:

1. Local calculations: execute tasks such as data analysis or AI processing on personal devices to minimize information transfer.
2. Advanced cryptography: Use FHE and zero knowledge tests to perform remote calculations without exposing data, with recent improvements that make these more efficient technologies.
3. Hardware verification: Implement open and verifiable source devices, such as security cameras that only process data in specific cases, to guarantee privacy in the physical world.

Privacy Pools, challenging GAFI surveillance

In his document, Bugerin presents practical solutions that Ethereum is developing to guarantee privacy and among them mentions The privacy pools, which are financial systems that allow excluding illicit funds (as those from hackeos) without compromising the identity of legitimate users.

In fact, the privacy pools described by Vitalik Buterin represent a potential solution to the challenge raised by the travel rule of the International Financial Action Group (GAFI). This rule requires that virtual asset services suppliers (such as exchanges and centralized platforms) collect and share personal data of users, supposedly to combat money laundering and terrorism financing.

By avoiding the need to store sensitive data in centralized databases, privacy pools decrease the risks of hackeos, a problem that Buterin points out as a recurring. This offers a safer alternative to current systems than the travel rule reinforces.

So, instead of relying on intermediaries that collect data, privacy pools return control to users, aligning with the Cypherpunk principles and the original vision of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin. This challenges the implicit mass surveillance model in the GAFI rule, which would have become obsolete, as mentioned in an opinion article published in cryptootics.

Digital Personality Test, Alternative to Iris scan

Another advance that Bugterin stands out in your article is the personality test with zero knowledge, which allows you to verify that someone is a real person – useful to combat bots or frauds – without revealing personal data. In addition, the anti -brain scan on devices uses local artificial intelligence models to detect scams in messages without sending data to external servers, preserving user privacy.

Specifically, the personality test with zero knowledge and the anti -arude scan on devices can be considered viable alternatives to the scan of iris or facial recognition that some applications implement. This as a measure to authenticate users, prevent fraud or distinguish between humans and bots (for example, on cryptocurrency platforms such as Worldcoin or security systems).

The personality test with zero knowledge is a direct alternative to the scan of iris or facial recognition to verify that someone is a real person, since it achieves the same objective (combating bots or frauds) without compromising personal data. On the other hand, the anti -fraud scan on devices complements this vision to the Offer a way to protect users from scams without resorting to invasive methodsalthough its approach is broader than the single identity verification.

Both solutions exceed the limitations of biometric methods by prioritizing privacy, decentralization and accessibility, aligning with the principles of Ethereum and the Cypherpunk movement. However, its success will depend on technical advances, mass adoption and the ability to convince regulators and users of their effectiveness against more established biometric technologies.

Balance between privacy and transparency

BUTERIN reinforces his argument by citing the libertarian philosopher David Friedman, who imagined a world in which digital privacy and physical transparency coexist to reduce violence and preserve freedoms. This balance, according to Bugerin, is essential to maintain functional democratic, cultural and intellectual systems.

However, it warns that the highest current risk is the imbalance of power, due to technological giants and governments that accumulate massive amounts of data, while citizens lose control over their information. This scenario, exacerbated by the advance of AI and surveillance, threatens to erode individual autonomy and consolidate a «technological hegemony» where few dominate.

«Supporting privacy is not optional. It is one of the most urgent challenges of our era, ”he says, positioning Ethereum as a leader in this fight. His vision is a future in which Empuera technology to individuals instead of monitoring them. However, its publication raises a critical question: is the world ready to adopt this path? This, especially because of the fact that your proposal is a challenge to governments, companies and citizens to prioritize privacy and protect the spirit of decentralization.