Général / International / Technologie

The Bitcoin: history and evolution 2/2

Acquiring bitcoins
Bitcoins can be bought and sold (ie. exchanged for real currency) to and from individuals or companies. Most known platforms like Bitstamp, Mt.Gox, Btc-e and BtcChina use a bid / ask system.
Today’s value is $461 US for 1 BTC, but this is subject to high fluctuation.
We have seen this exchange rate going from $5 in May 2012 to $1150 in December 2013.
Legality
The only country where Bitcoin is illegal is Iceland. However, many other states decided to restrict its use. For instance in China, since December 5, 2013, financial institutions are forbidden to handle Bitcoin transactions. They cannot give pricing in Bitcoin or buy and sell the currency. This statement was the cause of a crash of the bitcoin exchange rate.
In Germany, bitcoin has become an official currency, a way for the German government to perceive tax on it. Profits from this money are subject to an income tax granted at a 25% level and businesses that would use this money will be required to pay a VAT amount for each transaction.
In the United States, the Internal Revenue Service announced in March 2014 that bitcoin would be a form of property rather than a currency, meaning that every transaction where Bitcoin is used as payment would be subjected to capital gains tax and that bitcoin mining would be taxed as well. (suite…)

Commentaires fermés sur The Bitcoin: history and evolution 2/2
20/09/2014
Général / International / Technologie

The Bitcoin: history and evolution 1/2

  • What is the Bitcoin?

The bitcoin, literally a coin made of bits, is a decentralized digital cryptocurrency created in 2009 by an anonymous developer known under the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto. Its symbol is BTC.

  • Decentralized because there is no dependency on one central emitter.
  • Digital because it is created and stored electronically.
  • Crypto because cryptography is used to control the creation and transfer of money.

The bitcoin is a currency while Bitcoin is the payment system used to exchange it.
The bitcoin is very similar to gold. Only 21,000,000 Bitcoins will ever be created as only X amount of gold will ever be discovered on Earth. This is different from usual currencies where central banks can print money at their discretion. (suite…)

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19/09/2014
Données personnelles / E-actualité / Moteur de recherche / Union européenne

Bing and Ask implement the “right to be forgotten”

On May 13, 2014, the European Court of Justice’s (ECJ) ruled against Google, imposing the implementation of the “right to be forgotten”. Since June 26, 2014, Google has begun dereferencing web pages at the request of its users. It is now the turn of other search engines to comply with the new European rule.
 

BUSCADOSource image : http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bb/BUSCADO.jpg

Though they have taken their time, the search engines Bing and Ask have decided to follow Google’s lead in enforcing the right to be forgotten. The implementation of this right by Ask and Bing ensues from users’ requests to have damaging content dereferenced by these search engines as well as Google. This controversial right was obviously meant to be applied by all search engines with a commercial activity in the EU. (suite…)

Commentaires fermés sur Bing and Ask implement the “right to be forgotten”
31/07/2014
Cyberdéfense / Général / innovation

Google’s « Project Zero » to reduce Internet vulnerabilities

In a post published on July 15th 2014, Google’s Online Security blog announced the launch of Project Zero, a team of “best practically-minded security researchers” – hackers – to work in favour of internet security.

Binary Matrix Security
https://www.flickr.com/photos/46975627@N02/4598193294/

The aim of this team and project is to put an end to major internet vulnerabilities and making sure “you [are] able to use the web without fear that a criminal or state-sponsored actor […] exploiting software bugs to infect your computer, steal secrets or monitor your communications.” (suite…)

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30/07/2014
Droit des TIC / Général / International / Union européenne

FCC approves anti-net neutrality rules

On May 15, 2014, the American Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted a new set of rules, putting an end to net neutrality in the United States. These new rules aim at protecting an open and neutral Internet said Tim Wheeler, chairman of the FCC. Internet service providers (ISPs) will be able to offer premium services to content providers to allow them a faster access to broadband. This is meant to prevent ISPs from slowing down the broadband traffic.
NNisdead_grave_0
The FCC’s newly adopted regulation directly violates the net neutrality principle. “Net neutrality” is an expression coined by Tim Wu, in 2003,to describe the principle that all internet content should be treated equally. This principle also ensures that all Internet connections are free from surveillance. You can read more about the origins and content of net neutrality (with a focus on France and Europe) here. (suite…)

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27/05/2014
E-actualité / Général / M-commerce

Monoprix veut adopter le bitcoin comme moyen de paiement

Dans une interview accordée au Journal du Net publiée le 8 avril 2014, Patrick Oualid, directeur e-commerce de Monoprix, a affirmé le désir de la société d’utiliser le bitcoin comme moyen de paiement dans un futur proche.

IMG_0527
By Zach Copley  [CC-BY-SA-2.0 Creative Commons], via Wikimedia Commons 
Cette société se revendique avant-gardiste dans le domaine de la grande distribution, et souhaite conforter son « positionnement de défricheur » avec cette nouveauté.
(suite…)

1 commentaire
29/04/2014
E-actualité / Réseaux et télécoms / Union européenne

Victoire partielle pour la neutralité du net en Europe

Le 3 avril 2014 s’est déroulé le vote tant attendu du Parlement Européen sur les mesures relatives au marché unique des communications électroniques visant à faire de l’Europe un continent connecté.

neutralitéPar Camilo Sanchez (Travail personnel) [CC0], via Wikimedia Commons

Les eurodéputés ont consacré deux principes majeurs pour l’Union : la neutralité de l’Internet et la suppression des frais d’itinérance lors de l’utilisation d’un téléphone portable dans un autre pays de l’UE. (suite…)

1 commentaire
16/04/2014