WikiLeaks Exposes USAID Funding of Anti-Bitcoin Propaganda

In a striking disclosure by WikiLeaks, a recent publication titled Cyberlibertarianism: The Right Wing Politics of Digital Technology, has come under scrutiny, not only for its content but also for the funding behind its author, David Golumbia.

Released by the University of Minnesota Press in November 2024, the book casts a critical eye on figures like Edward Snowden, Glenn Greenwald, and Julian Assange, known for their opposition to censorship and mass surveillance. Additionally, the deeper narrative within the book is that it categorizes Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies as forms of "right wing extremism."

Golumbia, who passed away in 2023, was an associate professor at Virginia Commonwealth University with a background that included receiving over $80,000 in direct grants from the US government. This funding history has led to questions about the impartiality of his work, especially given the book's inclusion in university curricula at institutions like the University of Southern California and Duke University without thorough fact-checking.

Academic Bias and Digital Freedom

Golumbia's book suggests that digital technologies and cryptocurrencies, particularly Bitcoin, are inherently aligned with right-wing extremist ideologies. This perspective is particularly contentious as it frames decentralized currencies, which are often celebrated for their potential to offer financial freedom and privacy, in a highly negative light. This portrayal aligns with what has been described as "anti-Bitcoin propaganda," a term that has gained traction following revelations that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has been funding projects with similar viewpoints, including funding foreign projects and corrupt organizations.

USAID's involvement in funding such narratives raises significant concerns about the manipulation of public perception regarding cryptocurrencies. By suggesting that Bitcoin promotes right-wing extremism, these funded works attempt to discredit the technology's core principles of decentralization, privacy, and freedom from government control. This funding controversy comes at a time when digital currencies are increasingly viewed as tools for financial inclusion and resistance against authoritarian control, making the timing of such narratives particularly suspect.

The inclusion of Golumbia's work in academic settings without a critical examination of its funding sources or the potential biases introduced by such funding highlights a worrying trend within government, which the new Trump admin is trying to address, in particular with Elon Musk and the DOGE agency‘s mission.