Julian Assange Discusses Bitcoin with Google CEO Eric Schmidt in 2011
Key points from a secret meeting between Julian Assange and Eric Schmidt, former Google CEO:
- The meeting took place 12 years ago while Assange was under house arrest.
- Assange discussed WikiLeaks' acceptance of Bitcoin due to a banking blockade that cut off traditional funding sources.
- Schmidt initially claimed ignorance about Bitcoin, which Assange described as a technology with potential for decentralized information dissemination.
- They explored how a DNS system based on blockchain could prevent censorship by governments.
- Assange emphasized the importance of Bitcoin's scarcity and encouraged early adoption, predicting substantial future value.
- Since the meeting, Bitcoin's value has increased by 5,000 times.
- Assange's legal troubles continued after the meeting, leading to his asylum in the Ecuador embassy and subsequent imprisonment.
- The current internet remains vulnerable to censorship, contrasting with Bitcoin's resilience.
Overall, the meeting highlighted the intersection of technology, governance, and freedom of information.