Ethereum's Vitalik Buterin says privacy in physical space is “quickly diminishing” in the age of facial recognition — outlines ways to “restore some balance”

Vitalik Buterinco-founder of Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) expressed concern about the decline in privacy in physical spaces and emphasized the importance of online privacy.

what happened: On Sunday, Buterin spoke to X (formerly Twitter) to express his views on the increasing invasion of privacy due to the rise of facial recognition technology. “Privacy in the physical space is rapidly declining,” he said. “Increasing privacy online is one of the few tools we have to restore some balance. Privacy is normal. Privacy. We support you.”

Buterin's tweet came in response to an article discussing the risks associated with voicing dissent in the age of advanced facial recognition technology.

This article focuses on how the increasing use of facial recognition technology by law enforcement agencies around the world impacts protesters by eroding their anonymity and freedom of expression. explained in detail.

They shared personal stories of those affected by this surveillance, including the preventive detention of protesters. The article also examines public opinion towards the technology, which has varying degrees of acceptance in different countries, and discusses its unfair use against minorities. Wider implications include a chilling effect on protest activity and potential changes in engagement with democracy.

SEE ALSO: Here's how much money you'd have today if you invested $1,000 in Bitcoin during the May 2020 Bitcoin Halving

Why it's important: The Senate recently passed a bill to update Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, despite opposition from privacy advocates concerned about expanding surveillance.president joe biden The bill was signed into law after passing the House after a narrow vote amid opposition lobbying. Despite promises of increased privacy protections, critics say it legalizes a significant expansion of spying powers, The Wall Street Journal reported.

This is not the first time Buterin has expressed support for privacy. In December 2022, he praised: Apple. The iOS 16.2 user security update introduced end-to-end encryption for iCloud backups, including photos and other data. Despite criticizing Apple's monopolistic nature, he acknowledged the tech giant's efforts to protect user privacy as a “positive step.”

Price Action: At press time, Ethereum was trading 0.75% lower at $3,144.72, according to data from Benzinga Pro.

Photo by TechCrunch on Flickr

Read next: 'Dogecoin Killer' Shiba Inu Whale's trading surges 55%: '$100 billion by 2025,' crypto investor predicts