Moderators censor Bitcoin devs as OP_RETURN war rages on

Bitcoin Core maintainers who control a central GitHub repository are flexing a rarely-exercised power to censor speech between developers.

This week, dozens of developers voted in split disagreement over a proposal to relax the data storage ability in transactions using a Bitcoin operation code, OP_RETURN.

The dispute led a number of prominent developers to decry what they saw as banishment after mods muted senior members with passionate viewpoints.

On one side of the debate, conservatives are arguing for maintaining or even further constricting OP_RETURN’s 83-byte datacarrier limit. On the opposing side, progressives want to relax that threshold, noting plentiful data storage options elsewhere.

As the debate roared, GitHub moderators muted two leading conservatives, Luke Dashjr and Bitcoin Mechanic. The two men argued against easing filters that make the use of Bitcoin’s blockchain easier for storing non-financial data.

They pointed out corporate interests, spam risks, and UTXO validation concerns around lifting OP_RETURN’s data storage ability.

The censorship of their speech incensed a community that values bitcoin’s (BTC) censorship-resistant properties.

Giacomo Zucco called the moderators “absolutely out-of-control” and a “cabal of self-appointed politicians.” Michelle Weekley called the censorship “antithetical to the ethos of bitcoin.”

Another observer considered it “concerted community sabotage.”