Twitter Cancels Bitcoin Influencer After Targeted Sanctions Claim

Bitcoin influencer Alex Gladstein is getting ‘canceled’ on Twitter after his stance on targeted sanctions in relation to Russia penalties imposed by Western powers.

This was after Gladstein tweeted that he supports “confiscation of any asset of anyone legitimately targeted” by the sanctions. He did, however, clarify that he opposes “broad nationality-based sanctions,” citing that these policies are “immoral.”

Members of the crypto community were quick to share their disagreement and disappointment with the influencer’s reply.

“So central planners can carry out theft so long as the thieves are doing it to people you don’t like,” Twitter user denverbitcoin questioned. They added that Gladstein’s take sounds like “some fiat rationalization” rather than a “principled” one.

Gladstein replied by choosing the “least bad” among war, Russia sanctions affecting innocent people, and targeted smart sanctions against Russian oligarchs and their kin. He prefers that last option.

Notably, the initial reply of the influencer stemmed from a retweeted thread that tells a story about Polina Kovaleva. The thread’s author claimed that Kovaleva is the stepdaughter of Russia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Sergei Lavrov — a Putin ally.

Kovaleva, who was living a “glamorous British life,” was said to have been sanctioned recently. To Gladstein, sanctioning the likes of Kovaleva is justifiable as he gives his “100%” support of such policy expressed by the author of the original Kovaleva thread.

Among many reactions, a fan by the username of Tone Vays lost his respect towards Gladstein for his “horrible take.” They added that the influencer’s statement “goes against everything Bitcoin stands for.”

“I support Bitcoin because it prevents mass asset confiscation,” Gladstein clarified in one of the replies in the thread. “But even in the Bitcoin Standard if you commit war crimes, you are going to face punishment,” the influencer added.

Meanwhile, Twitter user TheGuySwann gave Gladstein the benefit of the doubt, acknowledging the influencer’s contribution to the Bitcoin cause.

The Bitcoin system allows a vast range of differing opinions/views under the same philosophical umbrella. The fact that we can argue, but remain “on the same team,” makes us powerful. I don’t agree with everything Alex says, but he continues to contribute massively to the cause.