Microsoft calls for the signing of the Digital Geneva Convention, Bitcoin miners and traders should be protected

Tech giant Microsoft is calling on governments to sign a Digital Geneva Convention amid concerns about state-backed hacking, digital warfare and a growing number of malicious cyberattacks.

Currently, members of the Bitcoin community are very concerned about persecution in some countries. For example, Bitcoin miners and traders in Venezuela are being arrested by the government. Therefore, the proposed Digital Geneva Convention should include chapters or protocols to protect members of the Bitcoin community and the free development of cryptocurrencies.

On February 14, 2017, at the RSA Conference in San Francisco, California, Brad Smith, president of Microsoft and responsible for external legal affairs, called for the establishment of a Digital Geneva Convention. Smith has been a key figure in leading Microsoft's privacy and security efforts.

According to Reuters,

"Microsoft President Brad Smith urged governments around the world to form an international organization to protect nations from hacker attacks, citing recent notorious hacks as showing the need for global norms to police government activity in the cyber realm."

Smith confirmed his call for governments to sign the Digital Geneva Convention on Twitter:

“We need a Digital Geneva Convention to protect citizens on the internet, just as the 1949 Geneva Conventions protect civilians during war.”

The Geneva Conventions protect vulnerable groups

In his appeal, Smith referred to the Fourth Geneva Convention, introduced in 1949, which added protection for civilians.

The purpose of the Geneva Conventions is to protect vulnerable and defenseless individuals during armed conflict. According to Cornell Law School:

“The Geneva Conventions are a body of public international law, also known as the humanitarian law of armed conflict, which aims to provide minimum protection, standards of humane treatment and fundamental guarantees to individuals who become victims of armed conflict.”

Denmark to appoint first digital ambassador

Signing a Digital Geneva Convention, and then having it ratified by states, will undoubtedly require a great deal of diplomatic work.

Incidentally, Denmark is planning to appoint its first digital ambassador.

Danish Foreign Minister Anders Samuelsen has announced that given the huge influence Facebook, Apple, Microsoft and other technology giants have, it is necessary to appoint a dedicated ambassador to be in charge of diplomatic affairs with the world's major technology companies.

If Denmark's digital ambassador becomes a reality, his or her work will certainly encourage tech companies to invest more in Denmark and also help promote the creation of a cashless society. This digital ambassador will be responsible for supporting the Digital Geneva Convention.

The Digital Geneva Convention Should Include Bitcoin Protection

Bitcoin is a technology-driven, borderless world currency. Bitcoin's blockchain technology open source code keeps all transactions transparent, immutable and irreversible. It is impossible for anyone to make changes to the blockchain without being exposed.

Bitcoin and its blockchain technology are decentralized, permissionless, and trustless networks. All of these characteristics have demonstrated censorship resistance and resilience in Bitcoin’s short history, overcoming significant challenges.

Regardless, members of the Bitcoin community are being censored and arrested. Specifically, the Venezuelan government is shutting down local mining operations and arresting Bitcoin miners and Bitcoin traders.

Therefore, the call for a Digital Geneva Convention is in line with the need to protect cryptocurrencies from malicious cyber attacks and the Bitcoin community from government oppression, allowing this currency to develop freely and prosper.