We Need True Decentralized Technologies

Pirates believe in decentralized technologies. While Napster was sued out of existence, peer-to-peer tools such as BitTorrent or protocols like the InterPlanetary File System (IPFS) continue to help people to share our culture freely. Cryptocurrencies and related technologies promise decentralized exchange, but are only successful when wrapped in centralized scaffolding. They concentrate power and wealth while often claiming vast amounts of electricity that further destroys the planet on which we all rely. We have seen other large corporations do this exact same maneuver and we want to stop the greedy from taking advantage of an unsuspecting public. The exchange are centralized in the hands of a small number of mining consortiums and trading sites. Ownership of 99% of coins are controlled by 10% of users. Not even the stock market is that concentrated.

Cryptocurrencies are merely speculative assets. They are not used to buy and sell anything of use, and the fees are excruciating. They are virtual gold to be hoarded by digital Smaugs hoping to unload them at an immense profit to unsuspecting marks. Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are the ultimate extension of this technology. They are scams peddling content-free Digital Rights Management (DRM) schemes. Pirates support encouraging people to freely share our culture and encouraging people to create. NFTs are an infrastructure of fraud that harms artists, patrons, and the planet.

By decentralizing technologies, the focus can be on autonomy, resilience, protocols over products, and exercising our ability to tinker and create. These opportunities allow the community to build, play, and innovate, creating a whole that is much greater of the sum of its parts. Data sovereignty belongs to us, those whom use it.

Adopted: April 5th, 2022 IRC Meeting