Vitalik Buterin, the co-founder of Ethereum, sees a world coming where artificial intelligence (AI) can even read human thoughts, and he's concerned about it. He proposes a plan to curb digital surveillance, detailing it in a post titled “Why I Support Privacy.”
In his extensive essay, Buterin lays out a vision in which privacy is understood as a right, and as an essential foundation for freedom, social order, and technological progress. Therefore, to protect it, he proposes using advanced cryptographic tools such as ZK-SNARKs or zero-knowledge proofs and homomorphic encryption (FHE), which makes it possible to process data without decrypting it. All this with the idea of returning control to users and preserving decentralization in the cryptocurrency ecosystem.
In this way, Buterin connects the present with cypherpunk ideals and evokes a sense of epic continuity, positioning himself as an heir to a historic struggle that aligns with Nakamoto's vision. And, just as Nakamoto sought with Bitcoin freeing finance from centralized control through cryptography, Buterin pursues with Ethereum a privacy that protects individual freedom from surveillance, continuing the legacy of decentralization and autonomy.
“Today, privacy can no longer be ignored,” Buterin writes, pointing to the fact that AI has multiplied surveillance capabilities, and emerging technologies, such as brain-computer interfaces, could even expose our thoughts. In contrast, Buterin highlights cryptographic advances such as:
- ZK-SNARKs (zero-knowledge proofs) that allow information to be verified without revealing it.
- Homomorphic encryption (FHE) that makes it possible to process data without decrypting it.
- Obfuscation, with future techniques to hide algorithms.
Therefore, its manifesto is a call to build a digital ecosystem where surveillance is not the norm. Thus, by making cryptographic tools open source, universal, and secure, Ethereum seeks to empower users and counter the trend toward a “technological hegemony” where a few control everyone's data. In Buterin's words, privacy is “the best of all possible worlds,” a balance that preserves freedom, order, and progress in the face of a future where total transparency threatens to erode human autonomy.
Ethereum's plan focuses on three key strategies to combat surveillance:
- Local calculations: Running tasks such as data analysis or AI processing on personal devices to minimize information transfer.
- Advanced Cryptography: Using FHE and zero-knowledge proofs to perform remote computations without exposing data, with recent improvements making these technologies more efficient.
- Hardware Verification: Implement open-source, verifiable devices, such as security cameras that only process data in specific instances, to ensure privacy in the physical world.
Privacy Pools, challenging FATF oversight
In his paper, Buterin presents practical solutions that Ethereum is developing to ensure privacy, including Privacy Pools, financial systems that allow the exclusion of illicit funds (such as those from hacks) without compromising the identity of legitimate users.
In fact, the Privacy Pools described by Vitalik Buterin represent a potential solution to the challenge posed by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Travel Rule. This rule requires virtual asset service providers (such as exchanges and centralized platforms) to collect and share users' personal data, ostensibly to combat money laundering and terrorist financing.
By avoiding the need to store sensitive data in centralized databases, Privacy Pools reduce the risk of hacking, a problem Buterin points out as recurring. This offers a more secure alternative to the current systems that the Travel Rule strengthens.
So, rather than relying on intermediaries to collect data, Privacy Pools return control to users, aligning with cypherpunk principles and the original vision of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. This challenges the mass surveillance model implicit in the FATF rule, which has reportedly become obsolete.
Digital personality test, an alternative to iris scanning
Another advancement Buterin highlights in his article is zero-knowledge personality testing, which allows users to verify that someone is a real person useful for combating bots or fraud without revealing personal data. Additionally, on-device anti-fraud scanning uses local AI models to detect scams in messages without sending data to external servers, preserving user privacy.
Specifically, zero-knowledge personality testing and anti-fraud scanning on devices can be considered viable alternatives to the iris scanning or facial recognition implemented by some applications. This is a measure to authenticate users, prevent fraud, or distinguish between humans and bots (for example, in cryptocurrency platforms like Worldcoin or in security systems).
Zero-knowledge personality testing is a direct alternative to iris scanning or facial recognition for verifying that someone is a real person, as it achieves the same goal (fighting bots or fraud) without compromising personal data. On-device anti-fraud scanning, meanwhile, complements this vision by offering a way to protect users from scams without resorting to invasive methods, although its focus is broader than identity verification alone.
Both solutions overcome the limitations of biometric methods by prioritizing privacy, decentralization, and accessibility, aligning with the principles of Ethereum and the cypherpunk movement. However, their success will depend on technical advancements, mass adoption, and the ability to convince regulators and users of their effectiveness compared to more established biometric technologies.
Balancing privacy and transparency
Buterin bolsters his argument by quoting libertarian philosopher David Friedman, who envisioned a world in which digital privacy and physical transparency coexist to reduce violence and preserve freedoms. This balance, according to Buterin, is essential to maintaining functioning democratic, cultural, and intellectual systems.
However, he warns that the greatest risk today is the imbalance of power, due to tech giants and governments accumulating 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 a few dominate.
“Supporting privacy is not optional. It is one of the most urgent challenges of our time,” he declares, positioning Ethereum as a leader in this fight. His vision is a future where technology empowers individuals rather than surveils them. However, his post raises a critical question: is the world ready to embrace this path? This is especially true given that his proposal challenges governments, businesses, and citizens to prioritize privacy and protect the spirit of decentralization.
