Moctar BouraimaThe High Court in London has just ordered Bitcoin.org, an independent website that supports the development of Bitcoin, to remove the Bitcoin white paper from its website. The decision follows a lawsuit filed by Craig Wright.
The latter is an Australian scientist and businessman who claims to be the creator of Bitcoin without having provided any proof of what he claims. As a result, he is referred to as a notorious "faketoshi" in the history of Bitcoin.
The Bitcoin.org site will no longer be able to have the Bitcoin white paper
Wright claims to own the copyright to the white paper, which describes how Bitcoin works. For this, he filed a lawsuit against Bitcoin.org in February 2023, claiming the website was violating its rights by hosting the white paper.
In response, the website Bitcoin.org refused to remove the white paper, saying Wright's claims were "baseless." The website also argued that the court's decision was contrary to the spirit of Bitcoin, which is a open source software with MIT license, which was formally decided and wanted by founder Satoshi Nakamoto.
In his decision, Judge David Hodge stated that Wright had a “high probability” of winning the case. He also noted that Bitcoin.org had chosen not to defend itself. Therefore, it was difficult for the court to determine whether Wright’s claims were valid or not.
Cobra was unable to defend himself under his pseudonym
The judge ordered Bitcoin.org to remove the white paper from its website within 14 days. Cobra, the pseudonymous operator of Bitcoin.org, however, says it would contest the decision. He also states that the court is violating his rights by forcing him to reveal his identity.
“Unfortunately, the court rules allowed me to be sued under a pseudonym, but I could not defend myself under a pseudonym,” Cobra said in a statement. “So I was put in the impossible situation of losing my privacy or losing the case by default judgment.” He added.
Impact of the court decision on the future of Bitcoin
The court’s decision is a setback for Bitcoin.org, but it could have broader implications for the future of digital currency. If the ruling stands, it could pave the way for more legal action against websites that host Bitcoin-related content. This would be especially likely with sites whose owners want to remain “anonymous.”
This is a big deal because it could impact how Bitcoin-related content is distributed and used. If websites are required to remove the Bitcoin whitepaper, it could make it harder for people to learn about how the digital currency works.
In short, the judge's decision in favor of Craig Wright seems quite controversial. Craig has a very questionable image in the Bitcoin community. He has been accused of fraud and forgery, and his claim to be the creator of Bitcoin is hotly disputed by the community.
A judgment in its favor could create upheaval within the Bitcoin community. To be continued…
