At the Bitcoin Amsterdam 2024 conference, speakers highlighted the damaging effects of flawed academic research on Bitcoin. Misinformation from these studies fuels media narratives, influencing public perception and resulting in misguided policies.
During the “Beyond Resistance Money” panel, experts discussed how inaccuracies in Bitcoin-related research, such as emissions data, are often cited by journalists without thorough verification. Andrew Bailey from the Bitcoin Policy Institute pointed out a unit error in a widely-cited academic paper that has yet to be corrected, leading to ongoing misinformation.
Bradley Rettler of the University of Wyoming emphasized that journalists rely on these flawed studies, further spreading inaccuracies. Craig Warmke warned that this misinformation impacts real-world policies, particularly around Bitcoin mining and privacy, with restrictive legislation emerging from these errors.
The panelists stressed the need for more accurate research to inform better decision-making in the Bitcoin space.