# ETHBerlin04 Keynote: Fatemeh Fannizadeh - We need Censorships

- Channel: [ETHBerlin](https://streameth.org/ethberlin)
- Date: 2024-09-04
- Duration: 16:17
- Topics: cryptocurrency, ethereum, censorship, blockchain, social media
- Watch: https://streameth.org/watch/66d82e8135d51347e0a293fb

## Description

ETHBerlin04
May 24-26, 2024, CIC Innovation Campus
Keynote: Fatemeh Fannizadeh - We need Censorships

ETHBerlin04 - https://ethberlin.org
A Department of Decentralization event - https://dod.ngo The video features a speaker discussing the concept of censorship, particularly in the context of Ethereum and blockchain technology. The speaker, who is a Swiss lawyer with an Iranian background, shares personal anecdotes and touches upon philosophical aspects rather than providing legal advice. They explore what censorship entails—limiting access to data—and how it is implemented in various contexts, including on social media platforms like Instagram and in countries like Iran.

The talk addresses the necessity of some level of censorship or moderation for societal functioning but emphasizes the importance of individual agency and transparency to allow informed curation. The speaker then delves into how censorship manifests in Ethereum across different layers: consensus, application (dApps), and social. Examples are given, such as validators deciding whether to process transactions from sanctioned addresses and actions taken by various platforms against Iranian users.

The core issue raised is who gets to decide what is censored on the blockchain and whether such decisions are democratic or not. The speaker suggests that we should "censor blockchain censorship" to maintain an unstoppable and robust technology. They propose exploring surveillance resistance and inclusion lists as potential solutions to prevent undue censorship on Ethereum.

Finally, the speaker calls for every user and application to have the option for curation and moderation, aligning with the Cypherpunk ethos of sovereignty through