On September 18, 2024, Edward Snowden, known for exposing the PRISM surveillance program, delivered a speech titled “The Next Threat to Speech” at the Token2049 conference.
He highlighted that while the world has undergone massive changes, the encroachments on citizen privacy by intelligence agencies have not diminished. Instead, they have become more covert and widespread due to advances in technology. Mass surveillance has become a reality.
However, this is precisely where the unique strength of cryptographic technologies, especially Bitcoin, comes into play—it’s a system designed to prevent inevitable consequences from the worst-case scenarios. Coindarwin summarized Snowden’s speech, as presented below.
The following is Snowden’s full speech:
Surveillance by Intelligence Agencies is Everywhere
I’d like to start by pointing out that although intelligence agencies’ methods haven’t changed much in the last 15 years, their scale has massively expanded. This is the main reason I’m here today.
The issue isn’t whether governments are surveilling certain people—they always have. The difference now is that they have the capacity to surveil everyone. What used to be a fantasy has now become a reality, as we see surveillance happening everywhere.
Pavel Durov, Telegram, and Encryption Technology
Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, is someone I mentioned on Twitter a few weeks ago. I initially planned to discuss him here because what he’s been through is a great symbol of the significant changes happening today. A few weeks ago, we saw an attempt by the old powers to control Telegram by detaining Durov in France.
For years, these powers have complained about Telegram, even though Telegram isn’t a truly secure communication tool. By the way, don’t recommend it to your friends as such. It’s more of a regular chat room with a private message function.
Telegram does have a feature called “secret chats,” but hardly anyone uses it. Regardless, the US and European states have been upset that Telegram doesn’t give them the control they want, unlike platforms like Facebook, where they can freely shut down channels or expose user data.
Telegram, with its flawed design, does have the potential to enable such control, and governments know this. Telegram has resisted to some degree, but this hasn’t changed the overall situation. What happened next? Durov was lured to France and imprisoned under a fabricated pretext.
A few days later, Telegram changed its terms of service. This is the harsh reality of a system not designed to resist state interference. And this is where encryption technology, especially Bitcoin, shines—it’s designed from the outset to avoid inevitable outcomes.
After being released, Durov quickly returned to a free space and started addressing the design flaw that got him into trouble. He created a service that doesn’t place too much power or data in human hands vulnerable to state intervention.
You must design your system so that no single “touchpoint” can be manipulated—otherwise, they will find a way to control it.
Once Champions of Classical Liberalism, Now the Leaders in Opposing It
The important lesson isn’t just about Durov or Telegram—it’s about all of us. We’re entering a new historical phase. Nations once considered enlightened, that embraced the principles of classical liberalism—the supremacy of personal rights—are now the ones trying hardest to overturn it.
They use bureaucracy and policy intervention to shape and ultimately control everyone’s life within their borders and beyond. Technological advances make this possible, and these problems haven’t fundamentally changed since 2015.
If we defend these nations, we might say they genuinely believe their path leads to utopia—that they know what’s best for you better than you do. They’re the “experts.” You’re told how you should live your life, down to whether you should eat insects. But we must remember that these stories have played out countless times in history.
The Fight Over Telegram and the EU’s New Chat Control Proposals
I urge everyone to pay attention to the EU’s recent “chat control” proposal. These proposals are not just about surveillance—they’re about control. They are laying the procedural framework for global control over every voice. This is the true goal.
Governments aren’t concerned about secret conversations or access to encrypted keys—they’re bothered by the way people are communicating in ways they don’t like. They fear this could be misinformation, disinformation, or content harmful to society, and they seek to suppress it. This is incredibly dangerous, and once you lose control, you can’t get it back.
The BP Pager Bombing in Lebanon
This brings me to modernity’s changes. Yesterday, I spent most of the day reading about the Israeli president and reports of certain actions resembling terrorist methods: consumer electronic devices (BP pagers) simultaneously exploding across multiple countries, with no concern for who was holding them—whether it was an adult or child.
Although this isn’t the first time we’ve seen such phenomena, it’s the first time we’ve witnessed such a widespread “broadcast-style” bombing attack. A message sent through public communication systems could trigger standby devices, regardless of who held them. This is a powerful symbol of how technology can be used for destructive purposes.
The Core Rules and Values of Cryptocurrencies Must be Discussed
Lately, I’ve heard people argue that we no longer need to talk about Bitcoin’s anarchist roots or its privacy-focused, censorship-resistant design, because this makes billionaires uncomfortable. They want something that can be regulated, controlled, and serves them.
I think this is completely wrong. We must discuss the core rules and values of cryptocurrencies—that’s what makes them special. I don’t care if it makes billionaires uncomfortable, or if it slows down capital allocation from JPMorgan. Frankly, whether they like it or not, they’re already on this train. The age of the dollar is over.
The Crypto Community Must Address Scams
As a community, we must focus on what will make this currency thrive, not what has led others to fail. Many other crypto projects dilute the monetary base, though not all. However, we must acknowledge that many projects, no matter how well-packaged, are scams.
People treat it like gambling or buying a lottery ticket. If we don’t control it, it will become toxic waste. We need to build a new world, not take advantage of those new to the system.
Embrace the Tradition that Built the Crypto Industry
To sum up, as you witness the desire for speech control and the rise of disruptive technologies, it’s clear they could become either great forces for good or frightening powers of control. It depends on who wields the power and how we decentralize it.
We need to resist bureaucracy, reject modernity, and embrace the traditions that built the crypto industry. This is how we can save the world.
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