Intelligence Squared

The Sunday Debate: Blockchain, Quantum Leap Forward or Digital Snake Oil?

Apr 10, 2022

Springing into action, Primavera De Filippi, a legal expert on blockchain at Harvard, teams up with Vit Jedlička, President of Liberland, to envision a decentralized governance model. Jamie Bartlett dives into the social implications of blockchain, while skeptic David Gerard questions its financial promises. They explore the environmental costs of cryptocurrency, the challenges of regulation, and the potential for blockchain to revolutionize voting systems, all while debating whether it’s a groundbreaking innovation or merely tech hype.

01:05:38

Episode guests

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Intro

2min

Unpacking Blockchain: Promise and Pitfalls

22min

Decentralized Justice and Governance in Liberland

4min

Blockchain and Governance: Opportunities and Challenges

3min

Blockchain Realities: Innovation vs. Regulation

6min

Regulating the Blockchain: Balancing Innovation and Control

11min

The Energy Dilemma of Blockchain Technology

2min

Blockchain Governance and Its Challenges

13min

Blockchain technology has gone mainstream. It earns huge amounts of column inches and airtime. Stories abound of Bitcoin millionaires and multimillion-dollar ICOs (Initial Coin Offerings). New cryptocurrencies are launched every week. People who don’t entirely understand what they’re buying are rushing to purchase Bitcoin for fear of missing out, and recently the UK's Royal Mint announced its first ever blockchain-based non-fungible token, an NFT. Back in 2018, Intelligence Squared gathered crypto specialists to debate whether blockchain technology has a legitimate future or not, including Jamie Bartlett, author and analyst on the politics of the internet, blockchain expert Primavera De Filippi, Vit Jedlička, President of the micronation Liberland, and crypto journalist David Gerard. The host for this discussion was journalist, author and former BBC News Editorial Director, Kamal Ahmed.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts

Save insights instantly, chat with episodes, and build lasting knowledge - all powered by AI.