Quote from: greenfloyd on June 07, 2011, 10:20:16 AM

Quote from: FatherMcGruder on June 06, 2011, 11:54:25 PM

Quote from: Goldenmaw on June 06, 2011, 07:56:01 PM

...black transactions ... black market...

Why's it gotta be "black"?

Quote from: greenfloyd on June 06, 2011, 08:14:16 PM

Because I'm not sure what's really going on here I don't think I'm in any position to judge what is or isn't "feasible."

I think that will a little bit of due diligence, you know, reading up on Bitcoin some more, reading the thread, perusing Silk Road, you'll find yourself in a better position to contribute to the thread with useful suggestions and debate. I write this entirely without snark in the hopes of driving the point that the people running Silk Road have no power to exclude anyone. Its operators can try to ban certain products, but they will just show up under different names. As we know (and for those who hadn't, you're welcome), in the absence of an adult services section, you need to proof-read for accidental innuendos in your Craigslist post, lest you encounter a large woman with a strap-on instead of the pegboard you expected. Furthermore, the folks at Silk Road can't stop those running a Silk Road clone from catering to people wishing to trade in whatever products the original had banned.

Quote

If it's a hoax, it's beautiful. On the other hand if it is not a hoax...

Let's just assume that it's not a hoax.

Quote

...then I believe it becomes part of the problem. Certainly nothing like cartels and gangs, yet still operating as if it, Silk Road, were above the law. My aim has always been to change the law and make things better for everybody, except of course those who get fat off the way the law is today.

Everyone, raise your hand if you broke the law today. Working within the bounds of the law will only get us so far, so fast. Is the thought of breaking the system, or letting it break itself, so bad? Se cayó.

Or was she pushed?

I have given it some thought, about suggestions on handling illegal drug transactions in an ethical and moral fashion sans rule of law. I conclude that SR or anyone else for that matter, should follow standard harm-reduction principles as much as possible.

I think the first priority should be to design and implement an age-verify system. An unrelated 3rd party could be contracted to, given a name, date and place of birth, use public records to verify the buyer's age then return a special key to the buyer. The seller can then request that key as needed, and use it in a query on the 3rd party's server to return an accept or reject directive.

I guess it could not be mandatory, but perhaps it could be rewarded by positive reputation points for sellers who require age-verify. I suppose too that once age-verify has been established true, the same seller and buyer would not need to repeat the process so it would only impact the first transaction.

Sellers or SR or both should make the following absolutely clear to all buyers of hard drugs:

The safest drug use is no use.
Never take a drug you do not completely understand.
Do not inject or consume any narcotic alone, if possible have a non-user by your side.
Never mix alcohol use and narcotics.
Always use a new, sterile rig when injecting.
Follow appropriate cleaning (sterile pads) of the injection site prior to injection.
If you feel you need help dealing with drug addiction call this help line (research a service)

There are additional guidelines that would be more appropriate for other substances that should also be considered. And of course any manufacturers and pharmaceutical information, instructions, pamphlets, or packing material should be included in every order of this sort.

Guidelines and links to erowid and so forth are an excellent idea.

Age Verification is Identity Verification and that is a terrible idea.