Maybe we should have asked… An NFT project based on the Cypherpunks movement was forced to shut down because it did not have the consent of the people it represented.
NFT’s “Cypher Punks” collection forced to shut down
Can you use an image of a person to make a non-fungible token (NFT) without their consent? This is a question that should be asked again as NFT projects proliferate, sometimes without asking the people involved. This is a lesson that the Cypher Punks project has just learned, and has been forced to stop.
Cypher Punks offered collectible NFTs, featuring major figures of the “cypherpunk” movement. As a reminder, the Cypherpunks are considered the precursors of cryptocurrencies, having created a movement to protect the privacy of individuals through the use of cryptography, as early as the 1980s. Among their ranks are some well-known names to cryptocurrency enthusiasts, such as Adam Back and Hal Finney.
Cypherpunks who refuse to be associated with the project
The goal of the project was to “educate the young crypto community about Cypherpunks and their crucial role in the evolution of blockchain technology,” according to a statement from the teams responsible. Except that those affected had not been consulted, and they spoke out against the project.
Jillian York, the director of International Freedom of Expression at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, called for the removal of NFTs:
I don’t approve of this whatsoever and would like it removed. https://t.co/xy6W2w97NF
– Jillian C. York (@jilliancyork) December 26, 2021
And she wasn’t the only one, as confirmed by the Cypher Punks project press release:
Many Cypher Punks were against the idea and did not want to participate in any way. We respect that. [We apologize to every Cypherpunk for not asking for your consent before creating your NFTs
There is a rather ferocious irony: in trying to promote a movement that puts individual freedom and data control first, the NFT project has ignored the control that Cypherpunks may want to have over their image…
The story will end like this: the project bought back their NFTs and paid off the buyers. The rest of the money from the sales will be donated to Wikileaks. And Cypher Punks joins a growing list of projects that have burnt their wings trying to generate enthusiasm. Just another day in the NFT business…
Really didn’t think I’d be a fucking NFT this soon
– Jillian C. York (@jilliancyork) December 26, 2021
