On April 2, one of Bitcoin’s essential communication channels for discussing potential protocol modifications faced disruptions for several hours, with a moderator suggesting that it could have been a targeted assault aided by bots.
Throughout April 2 and 3, Bitcoin core developers and researchers found themselves unable to engage on Google Groups after the platform banned the group due to spam allegations.
“The Bitcoin Development Mailing List has been flagged as containing spam, malware, or other harmful content,” read the warning from Google at that time.
The warning for the Bitcoin Development Mailing List prior to the ban being lifted. Source: Google
Cointelegraph spoke with Bitcoin Core developer Bryan Bishop, who indicated that the ban might have stemmed from individuals or bots reporting the Bitcoin mailing list en masse from numerous accounts.
“It’s a typical tactic used by attackers aiming to silence or censor a community,” Bishop noted, mentioning that similar occurrences are frequently seen on platforms like YouTube, X (formerly Twitter), and TikTok.
“It’s plausible that this entire incident was instigated by such actions. Perhaps someone was reporting it on a massive scale,” he remarked.
Google Workspace Support’s X account confirmed that the issue was resolved on April 3 at 2:23 am UTC, responding to inquiries from one of the other moderators of the Bitcoin mailing list, Ruben Somsen.
Jack Dorsey, a prominent Bitcoin advocate and CEO of Block Inc, also emphasized the importance of the ban, calling on Google CEO Sundar Pichai to look into the matter.
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Mailing lists usually consist of one moderator email disseminating information to a group of subscribers to facilitate discussions and collaboration on specific topics or interests.
The Bitcoin mailing list serves as a platform for Bitcoin core developers and researchers to deliberate possible protocol changes for Bitcoin, which secures over $1.6 trillion in value for users globally.
Esteemed as one of the primary Bitcoin mailing lists, it has origins dating back to when Satoshi Nakamoto, the network’s pseudonymous creator, released Bitcoin’s white paper on the Cryptography Mailing List on October 31, 2008.
Bitcoin Mailing List Moderators Plan to Remain with Google Groups
Despite the recent incident, Bishop confirmed that the moderators of the Bitcoin mailing list are committed to continuing communication via email:
“The reality is that this mailing list has always been email-based, and to ensure continuity in service, it needs to retain its email format for contributors engaged in Bitcoin protocol development.”
The Bitcoin mailing list transitioned officially to Google Groups in February 2024.
Source: Bryan Bishop
Prior to this, the mailing list was hosted on the infrastructure of the Linux Foundation, Oregon State University’s Open Source Lab, and SourceForge.net.
Bishop suggested that a Bitcoin forum shouldn’t be restricted to one single platform, highlighting that several alternative platforms like GitHub and the decentralized social network Nostr also serve as venues for discussions on Bitcoin developments.
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