# ETHBerlin04 Keynote: Peter van Valkenburg - Are there limits to the reach of US Sanctions laws?

- Channel: [ETHBerlin](https://streameth.org/ethberlin)
- Date: 2024-09-04
- Duration: 35:24
- Topics: cryptocurrency, developers, privacy, sanctions, blockchain
- Watch: https://streameth.org/watch/66d8419b35d51347e0a2da61

## Description

ETHBerlin04
May 24-26, 2024, CIC Innovation Campus
Peter van Valkenburg - Are there limits to the reach of US Sanctions laws?

ETHBerlin04 - https://ethberlin.org
A Department of Decentralization event - https://dod.ngo The video features a speaker discussing the implications of the Tornado Cash prosecutions and how US sanctions laws could potentially affect developers. The speaker, a lawyer from Coin Center, emphasizes the importance of legal advice for those working on privacy tools and censorship-resistant software. They explore the reach and limits of US sanctions laws, specifically the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, and argue that sanctioning immutable smart contracts like those used by Tornado Cash may overstep legal boundaries. The video also touches on constitutional principles of free speech and privacy, highlighting the need for well-reasoned policy arguments to protect civil liberties in the digital world. The talk is part of a series addressing recent legal actions against developers of privacy-focused crypto tools and aims to provide clarity on the legal risks involved in such work.