Bitcoin Hard Fork Plan Threatens Immutability: Leaked Chats
Leaked chats published by The Rage’s journalist L0la L33tz reveal that Luke Dashjr, maintainer of Bitcoin Knots, is considering a Bitcoin hard fork plan to empower a trusted multisignature committee to retroactively remove illicit content from the blockchain using zero-knowledge proofs. The proposed buried-state rollback would flag transactions containing CSAM and require ZKP validation with multisig sign-off. Critics warn that this Bitcoin hard fork plan undermines core principles of immutability and censorship resistance.
Prominent figures reacted strongly. BitMEX Research labelled it “an attack on Bitcoin’s censorship resistance.” Blockstream CEO Adam Back called the proposal “far worse than I could’ve imagined.” Abra founder Bill Barhydt warned of a potential “bait-and-switch” by rogue developers, while JAN3’s Samson Mow urged a cautious, centuries-long development approach. Opponents fear a permissioned network structure and legal liabilities for node operators who refuse forced removals.
No formal Bitcoin Improvement Proposal (BIP) or activation pathway has been published. Supporters argue the plan mitigates illicit content risks, but critics say it opens the door to politicized censorship and regulatory capture. The debate marks the most heated governance dispute since SegWit2x, highlighting a schism over content filtering, ordinals, and node policy defaults as BTC trades near $109,000.
Bearish
By exposing a proposed hard fork plan that could compromise Bitcoin’s core principles, this news creates uncertainty over network immutability and censorship resistance. Historical governance clashes like SegWit2x led to heightened volatility and price dips. The suggestion of retroactive transaction alteration may erode investor confidence and trigger short-term sell pressure. If the controversy persists, node operator fragmentation and regulatory fears could further destabilize the market. Over the long term, a resolution favoring immutability might restore confidence, but the immediate reaction is likely bearish.