Craig Wright, an Australian computer scientist and self-proclaimed inventor of Bitcoin, has raised the possibility of Apple violating copyright by storing the Bitcoin white paper on its App Store. Wright claims to hold the copyright to the white paper, which outlines the fundamentals of the cryptocurrency, and has sent legal notices to websites hosting it without his permission.
Controversial Computer Scientist Craig Wright Accuses Apple of Copyright Infringement
Craig Wright, a self-proclaimed “creator of Bitcoin” and computer scientist, has claimed that tech giant Apple is violating copyright laws. He responded to a tweet asking if Apple might be in breach of copyright for storing the Bitcoin white paper on its computers with a simple “Yes.” The tweet followed this week’s news that Apple had stored the largest cryptocurrency’s explanatory paper on its computers, unbeknownst to many Mac users.
Users can find a copy of Bitcoin’s foundational text on MacOS operating systems by inputting a simple command into the Terminal. Apple has a history of hiding files on its products for users to find. Wright, an Australian programmer and lawyer, has long claimed to be the pseudonymous creator of Bitcoin, Satoshi Nakamoto. He has repeatedly stated that Bitcoin spin-offs derived from the cryptocurrency are in breach of his intellectual property rights because he is the original blockchain creator.
Today, Wright appeared to make the point that Apple was sharing his alleged seminal work without asking for permission first. However, Wright has been criticized for making such claims without having the proof to back them up. He would need to show that he has the private keys to Satoshi’s Bitcoin address to prove his identity as Satoshi. Wright’s lawyers told Decrypt in 2020 that he doesn’t have them.
Wright lost a claim in a UK court to protect the Bitcoin blockchain by copyright in February. He also hinted in December 2021 that he was no longer interested in convincing people he created the world’s biggest digital asset. Wright supports Bitcoin SV, a Bitcoin spin-off that emerged in November 2018 when Bitcoin Cash split in two.
Bitcoin SV proponents, with Wright as the loudest cheerleader, call Bitcoin SV “the original Bitcoin”. However, it has been delisted from a number of major exchanges. Wright is no stranger to the courts and is presently suing 15 Bitcoin developers to gain access to 111,000 BTC after allegedly losing the encrypted keys.
In conclusion, Craig Wright’s accusations of Apple breaching copyright laws by storing the Bitcoin white paper on its computers raises important questions about intellectual property rights in the cryptocurrency industry. However, due to his controversial track record and lack of proof, we should take his allegations with a grain of salt.