Elon Musk's Bitcoin-linked Encryption Assertion in XChat Debut Sparks Controversy
In a fresh twist, Elon Musk's remarks about XChat's new encryption feature have sparked a flurry of discussions, not for the feature itself, but for the CEO's puzzling tech descriptions.
On the first of June, Musk took to social media to announce his latest addition to XChat, built using Rust with (Bitcoin-esque) encryption.
Experts Dispute "Bitcoin-Esque" Encryption Claims
Shortly after the post, a wave of commentary flooded in, questioning the accuracy of Musk's terminology. Udi Wertheimer, a Bitcoin advocate, was blunt: "Bitcoin has no encryption whatsoever."
The Taproot Wizards co-creator elaborated, explaining that Bitcoin uses cryptographic hashing and signing, crucial for verifying data integrity and ownership, but these features don't conceal messages - a fundamental aspect of encryption.
"Encryption is when you have a message and want to keep it secret. Nothing in the Bitcoin protocol is encrypted... It's all open, transparent, and viewable by anyone."
Cryptographer Ian Miers joined the fray, highlighting Bitcoin's lack of privacy, likening it to a public social media platform for bank accounts. "Everything you do is visible to all," Miers stated. "It's the opposite of private."
Echoing these sentiments, Zcash co-founder lambasted the vagueness of Musk's statement, adding, "Bitcoin-style" and "Rust" are not descriptions of an encryption scheme and don't guarantee security for a messaging app."
A Matter of Leadership
This latest controversy comes amid wider concerns about Musk's leadership. Just a month prior, Tesla issued a public denial following Wall Street Journal reports of the company seeking a new CEO due to investor discomfort over Musk's questionable political engagements and volatile online behavior.
The Tesla board swiftly reaffirmed its trust in Musk's leadership. This newest XChat episode could further erode the billionaire's credibility among technologists. "Marketing teams love throwing around crypto buzzwords without understanding basics," remarked pseudonymous developer Yueya.eth. In an era where precision and accuracy foster trust, Musk's loose lingo might fan the flames of confusion rather than excitement.
Bonus Reading:When Elon Musk mentions "Bitcoin-style encryption" for his new XChat feature, he probably strives to convey the use of cryptographic techniques similar to those in Bitcoin, not Bitcoin's encryption mechanisms themselves. The Bitcoin blockchain employs public key cryptography, particularly elliptic curve cryptography, to secure transactions by enabling users to prove ownership without disclosing private keys[1][3].
Musk's assertion has sparked debate among experts, who argue that Bitcoin, unlike typical messaging services, doesn't use encryption to protect messages[1][3]. Instead, it relies on cryptographic signatures and hashes for security[1][3]. Perhaps Musk intends to utilize similar cryptographic techniques for XChat's security, but his term "Bitcoin-style encryption" may suggest a loose or marketing-driven application of the term[2][3].
The XChat application on X boasts encryption, self-destructing messages, file sharing, and various communication functionalities, including audio, video calling[1][4]. However, the intricacies of its "Bitcoin-style encryption" remain unclear, leading to questions about whether Musk is referring to a specific cryptographic strategy or merely using the term as marketing jargon[3][5].
- Despite Elon Musk's claims about Bitcoin-esque encryption in XChat, experts dispute the accuracy of his terminology, as Bitcoin does not actually use encryption to conceal messages.
- The Taproot Wizards co-creator highlighted that Bitcoin uses cryptographic hashing and signing for data integrity and ownership, but it doesn't conceal messages, which is a fundamental aspect of encryption.
- Cryptographer Ian Miers likened Bitcoin to a public social media platform for bank accounts, noting that everything on it is visible to all, emphasizing the lack of privacy in Bitcoin, which is contrary to the concept of encryption.
