Concerns Raised Over Potential Misuse of Decentralized Groups
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DAOs (decentralized autonomous organizations) allow people to collaboratively govern themselves without central leadership using blockchain technology. They could enable extremists to create digital "ethnostates" or "caliphates".
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By 2024, DAOs may be strategically used by neo-Nazis, jihadists, and conspiracy theorists to realize their visions of self-governed states online.
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DAOs allow extremists to circumvent government regulation and oversight by replacing traditional institutions with smart contracts, cryptocurrency, etc. This appeals to their distrust of establishments.
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Extremist DAO activities could challenge democracy by imposing their own rules, threatening minorities, and disrupting institutions.
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Very few governments recognize or regulate DAOs currently. Without accountability, DAOs could enable digital extremist havens and fundraising/planning for radicalization campaigns or attacks.