Kartik Patel, developer of Anoncast, shares insights on this innovative anonymous social media platform rapidly gaining traction after Ethereum's Vitalik Buterin joined. He discusses the unique zero-knowledge technology that ensures user anonymity and the challenges of fostering open expression without identity tracing. Kartik reveals his favorite posts, the platform's quick evolution, and the AI's role in shaping the new social media landscape. He also reflects on the excitement around Buterin's involvement and how Anoncast manages moderation while maintaining user privacy.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Anon Origin Story
Anon originated on Farcaster via SuperAnon, an anonymous account on a client called Supercast.
The community rallied around the Anon token after its anonymous launch, reminiscent of Satoshi's mystique.
insights INSIGHT
Anoncast's Provable Anonymity
Anoncast, inspired by the 33bits anonymous posting account, lets users post anonymously using zero-knowledge proofs.
This ensures provable anonymity, unlike SuperAnon, where the creator could still identify posters.
insights INSIGHT
Anoncast's Growth
Anoncast's popularity stems from the lack of other anonymous posting outlets and a flywheel effect.
As the platform grows, more users are drawn in, seeking greater visibility for their posts.
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Idealism, Greed, Lies, and the Making of the First Big Cryptocurrency Craze
Laura Shin
The Cryptopians delves into the story of idealists, technologists, and opportunists fighting to bring cryptocurrency to the masses. The book focuses on the founding of Ethereum by Vitalik Buterin and the subsequent crypto fever it created. It introduces readers to larger-than-life characters such as Buterin, Charles Hoskinson, and Joe Lubin, highlighting the personal and professional conflicts that shaped the early days of Ethereum. The narrative explores the booms, busts, and internecine wars within the crypto world, revealing it as a deeply personal struggle to influence the coming revolution in money, culture, and power.
Farcaster-based social media app Anoncast has quickly grabbed the crypto community’s attention—especially after Ethereum creator Vitalik Buterin jumped in.
The platform allows users to speak freely while ensuring no one—not even the platform itself—can trace their identity. And in its short week-and-a-half lifespan, it’s already generated thousands of posts.
In this lighter, Black Friday edition of Unchained, developer Kartik Patel joins to discuss how Anoncast works and why the platform has taken off so quickly. He shares insights on the challenges of maintaining anonymity in a connected world, how AI intersects with these developments, and what it was like to “nerd-snipe” Buterin.
Show highlights:
What sparked the rise of Anon and how it evolved into a ZK-powered anonymous posting platform
Kartik’s favorite casts and what he likes about the platform
Why the platform has evolved so quickly
How users can make casts
How Anoncast completely protects the anonymity of all posters
Kartik’s background in crypto and how he came to be involved in Anoncast
Why it felt like a “dream” when Vitalik Buterin bought the ANON memecoin
How AI is intersecting with this new era of social media
Why Anoncast moderates the posts
The new feature that was designed to give credit back to users
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