By CCN: It seems Craig Wright has launched a trend of people laying claim to the copyrights on the Bitcoin whitepaper and early code. While anyone can do it, the works belong to Satoshi Nakamoto – whoever he, she, or they may be. Other than potentially being one way to prove one’s self as Satoshi in a court of law, the copyrights don’t provide much power.
How Far Will Craig Wright Go to ‘Prove’ He Created Bitcoin?
Craig Wright’s Bitcoin copyright gambit appears to have backfired. | Source: Shutterstock
Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are mainly open source. Open source implies that a software license already governs the modification and distribution of the code base.
Currently, Craig Wright is laying claim to the massive trove of Satoshi Nakamoto coins from early blocks. He has now officially filed a copyright on the works of Satoshi, although this doesn’t require any extraordinary evidence. Now, someone else has filed a claim. CoinDesk reports that someone named Wei Liu has subsequently filed a copyright claim over the whitepaper and the works of Satoshi Nakamoto.
The likely outcome of a competing filing is a court case. This means Craig Wright may soon enter yet a third court case that will ultimately require him to prove that he is Satoshi Nakamoto. If he fails to do so, he loses, and his claims are debunked. However, what the broader crypto community has to consider is what happens in the opposite case.
One thing seems clear: much of the community doesn’t want Craig Wright to be Satoshi Nakamoto. If we accept that he has falsified his claims, it’s certainly notable that he’s willing to enter into so many lawsuits that will ultimately force him to prove it pretty plainly.
How Wrong Is Wright?
Binance CEO Swats ‘Stupid’ Bitcoin SV Craig Wright’s Shocking Slavery and Prostitution Claims https://t.co/n0CukyH3kN
— CCN.com (@CCNMarkets) May 31, 2019
The obvious questions arrive when we juxtapose Craig Wright’s personality with the writings of Satoshi Nakamoto. If Satoshi Nakamoto had this type of ego, wouldn’t he have come out sooner, and with stronger evidence? What is the connection of Dave Kleiman, in reality, if any?
The world would like answers to these questions. For now, it can be said without emotion: No one has ever proven themselves beyond a shadow of a doubt to be Satoshi Nakamoto. It would be less legitimate to say this is impossible than it is to accept that it could happen. At this point, most countries are working on some form of regulation for cryptocurrency. If Satoshi Nakamoto were actually to return and even realize some of his gains, he would likely be welcomed.
Assuming he could prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that he was who said he was.
‘Everyone Can Be Satoshi Nakamoto’
For a community that prefers trustless transactions, that’s just the way it is. Wei Liu – who filed a rival copyright claim on the Bitcoin whitepaper – has already admitted he’s not Satoshi Nakamoto. We’ve already heard Craig Wright’s case, repeatedly.
But who is Wei Liu?
According to an interview with CoinDesk, Wei Liu is the CEO of CoinSummer. He’s trolling the copyright office and perhaps attempting to get Craig Wright to go nuclear on the issue. He told the publication:
“I filed it just to let people know anyone can register a copyright. Everyone can be Satoshi Nakamoto.”
In other words, Wei Liu did it to prove a point. And perhaps to get some attention for his company.
Either way, it would be interesting if Liu and Wright hashed it out in court. Wright seems increasingly eager to prove that he is Satoshi Nakamoto. No one knows what happens if that reality ever were to manifest.