Github Partially Reinstates Tornado Cash Codebase, Open Source Code Set to Read-Only Mode – Bitcoin News
Microsoft’s internet storage and software development subsidiary, Github, has partially unbanned its Tornado Cash repository following recent sanctions imposed by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) Execution period. Github’s decision follows an update to the public by the US Treasury Department, noting that US citizens can copy, view, and discuss open source code. A partial restore of Github allows repository visitors to view the Tornado Cash codebase in read-only mode.
Github restores Tornado’s cash archive to read-only mode
The crypto community has been discussing internet hosting and software development platform Github after the service decided to partially restore the open source Tornado Cash code on the platform. On August 8, 2022, the US Treasury Department’s OFAC regulatory watchdog punished Tornado Cash ethereum mixer and several ethereum addresses associated with the platform. When the OFAC sanctions were announced, third-party platforms took action and an open source programmer took the plunge. forbidden from Github.
“My Github account has just been suspended,” software developer Roman Semenov speak at that time. “Is it illegal to write an open source code now?” In addition, the Microsoft-owned Github removed the Tornado Cash codebase repository, and no one can access the code through the software development platform.
On September 13, 2022, after considerable criticism from the crypto community, the US Department of Treasury public update about Americans who associate themselves with Tornado Cash. For example, the sanctions don’t fully apply to Americans who transacted with an ethereum mixing app before Aug. 8. If that’s the case and an American still holds funds on the app, they may “require a specific license from OFAC to engage in transactions involving virtual currency subjects. “
OFAC allows the people of the United States to view, discuss, and teach open-source and sanctioned platforms in written publications
OFAC’s Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) update also discusses the open source code tied to Tornado Cash. “U.S. sanctions regulations will not prohibit Americans from copying open source code and making it available online for others to view, discuss, teach about, or include open source in publications.” in writing,” the Finance Department’s regulations noted.
After the FAQ update about ten days ago, Ethereum developer Preston Van Loon report that Github has partially restored the Tornado Cash codebase and that codebase contributors are not banned. “Github has unbanned the Tornado Cash organization and its platform contributors,” the developer said. “It looks like everything is ‘read-only’, but that’s progress from a total ban. I still encourage Github to reverse all actions and return repositories to their old state”, Van Loon more.
What do you think about Github partially restoring the Tornado Cash repository? Let us know your thoughts on this topic in the comments section below.
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