<blockquote>
  <p>since the government controls the physical internet</p>
</blockquote>

<p>They do not (at least in North America or Europe). The internet is a network of communication. An Internet Service Provider (ISP) can be private or public, but either way it's function is to direct addressed transmissions to those addresses (IP addresses). </p>

<p>This network is a kind of base layer. The early days of Bitcoin/crypto found heavy usage in illicit online activities, meaning not allowed by the government. How were these activities carried out in a controlled network? By taking advantage of networks built on top of this base layer internet. TOR, I2P are some examples of these. </p>

<p>If Bitcoin/crypto were to be heavily prosecuted, nodes could (and have) take refuge in these hidden networks.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-01-13T20:10:09.747Z
2018-01-13T20:10:09.747Z
arshbot
<p>As long as one person is operating a node, Bitcoin is functional. For the government to remove Bitcoin, they would need to remove every single operating node and delete the files required to set one up from existence. However, the Bitcoin network needs access to the internet or similar network to be able to broadcast blocks and transactions.In this scenario, people could set up nodes to work with another network that replaces internet.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-01-13T16:37:08.160Z
2018-01-13T16:37:08.160Z
Cedric Martens
<p>Just wondering, since the government controls the physical internet. The Bitcoin system could be somehow destroyed by the governments.</p>

<p>I'm just wondering if they want to do this, is it technically hard?</p>

<government><regulation><governance><financial-regulations><destroy-bitcoins>
How hard it is to destroy BitCoin system if the government leaders decide to do this?
AGamePlayer
# How hard it is to destroy BitCoin system if the government leaders decide to do this?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-01-13)

Just wondering, since the government controls the physical internet. The Bitcoin system could be somehow destroyed by the governments.

I'm just wondering if they want to do this, is it technically hard?

**Tags:** government, regulation, governance, financial-regulations, destroy-bitcoins


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2018-01-13. Score: 1

> since the government controls the physical internet

They do not (at least in North America or Europe). The internet is a network of communication. An Internet Service Provider (ISP) can be private or public, but either way it's function is to direct addressed transmissions to those addresses (IP addresses).

This network is a kind of base layer. The early days of Bitcoin/crypto found heavy usage in illicit online activities, meaning not allowed by the government. How were these activities carried out in a controlled network? By taking advantage of networks built on top of this base layer internet. TOR, I2P are some examples of these.

If Bitcoin/crypto were to be heavily prosecuted, nodes could (and have) take refuge in these hidden networks.


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### Answer by username_2 on 2018-01-13. Score: 0

As long as one person is operating a node, Bitcoin is functional. For the government to remove Bitcoin, they would need to remove every single operating node and delete the files required to set one up from existence. However, the Bitcoin network needs access to the internet or similar network to be able to broadcast blocks and transactions.In this scenario, people could set up nodes to work with another network that replaces internet.


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