Author: Jameson Lopp 2018-02-13 15:24:55
Published on: 2018-02-13T15:24:55+00:00
The issue being addressed is that Bitcoin is facing a branding attack by fork coins, and the proposed solution is to disincentivize these fork coins from using the word "Bitcoin" by altering license terms. However, the effectiveness of this solution is in question, as it relies on an entity using court systems to threaten noncompliant projects into submission. The attack on Bitcoin is believed to be social/marketing-based, and a defense against it should also be social/marketing-based, rather than relying on courts or governments. Some suggest that trademarks may be a better solution, but there are concerns about legal uncertainty and how it would affect those forking older versions of Bitcoin or using existing independent blockchain implementations. Additionally, being unable to mention Bitcoin at all may be overkill, as the software license does not affect blockchain data.
Updated on: 2023-06-13T00:42:07.087768+00:00