Anonymous Developer “Forks” Libra Blockchain

Adding to the swathes of problems and criticisms that have come since the release of the Libra whitepaper, Facebook’s crypto project. An anonymous developer has forked the Libra code and proposed a more privacy-oriented alternative. Subsequently the startup accused Facebook of having copied their logo for the project Calibra.

Libra Classic

An anonymous programmer known by the name of “miothama” seems to have forked the Libra code to create a more private and democratic version of the Libra blockchain; the forked project is called Libra Classic and the code is available on Github.

As described on the Github page, Libra Classic implements a decentralized, programmable database which provides a financial infrastructure that can empower billions of people without sacrificing privacy or profiting large American corporations.

Apparently, among the features the project aims to implement, we find the Nakamoto consensus algorithm, the engine that makes Bitcoin a viable alternative for FIAT currencies, private transactions as well as Bitcoin script smart contracts. The infrastructure will be open, contrary to the Libra project, allowing anyone to participate in the network by running a node.

Moreover, “miohtama” specifies that only anonymous developers are accepted to work on the project and information can be found on a “secret” Telegram group.

Hence, BTCManager decided to investigate a bit more on Libra Classic to understand the validity of the project. Unfortunately, it was quite easy to understand that it was just a joke.

Once inside the “secret” group the first question a developer asked “miothama” was if the Libra Classic development was actually for real or if he was just kidding. The answer was rather direct, confirming that it was just a joke.

We know how the crypto community is dedicated to elaborate farces. However, once again someone wanted to highlight the flaws related to Facebook project linked with privacy and decentralization.

In fact, in only two days, the project received criticism from virtually all the most important people in the crypto world. For example, Blockstream CSO, Samson Mow, Tweeted:

“Looked at the Libra white paper. It’s not very interesting. Just another centralized coin. You can’t start out centralized and ‘become’ decentralized.”

Or again, related with privacy issue, the Executive Director of Open Privacy, Sarah Jamie Lewis, Tweeted:

“Can’t wait for a cryptocurrency with the ethics of Uber, the censorship resistance of Paypal, and the centralization of Visa, all tied together under the proven privacy of Facebook.”

Calibra Troubles

The CEO of the online bank Current, Stuart Sopp, claims that Facebook copied his company’s logo for the Calibra digital wallet.

The fault, however, does not completely belong to the company that owns the Social Network. Indeed, Stuart Sopp, explained that to create their logo they had relied on a design firm named Character in 2016. Apparently the firm also worked on the secretive crypto project with Facebook as unveiled in a LinkedIn post by Ben Pham this week.

Sopp added that they tried to ask for explanations but unfortunately neither company has deigned to comment on the incident.