Over Easter weekend, there was a debate raging on Bitcoin Twitter over the use of the @Bitcoin account. Over the past year or two, the account has been used by its owner (or whoever is currently controlling the account) to promote the Bitcoin Cash altcoin, which has infuriated Bitcoin users.
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Many Bitcoin users are upset because, in their opinion, the @Bitcoin account should not be used to promote an altcoin. There have been calls by Bitcoin users to ban the account due to its promotion of Bitcoin Cash under the @Bitcoin account name.
The vast majority of Bitcoin Cash users are on the other side of the argument, where they believe banning the @Bitcoin account or assigning it to someone else would amount to censorship. Many Bitcoin Cash users have contrasted the calls to ban the @Bitcoin account with Bitcoin’s underlying utility as a censorship-resistant payments platform.
So, what should be done in this sort of situation?
This Isn’t Your Normal Twitter Account
@Bitcoin is not your average Twitter account. It’s sort of like @pizza or @McDonalds. These sorts of accounts are valuable pieces of digital property for the brands associated with them.
Much like McDonald’s would be upset if Burger King were in control of @McDonalds account, it makes sense for Bitcoin users to be upset about who is currently behind the @Bitcoin account. From an editorial perspective, it also wouldn’t make much sense if the @pizza account were controlled by a steakhouse that kept tweeting out reasons everyone should eat steak instead of pizza.
Accounts with well-known words as their handles are valuable because (1) these accounts are more easily found by other users and (2) there is an expectation that the account will tweet
