permissionless innovation in the early internet was enabled by open protocols AND protected by a strong regulatory foundation: the first amendment. 

the fundamental unit of the internet is packets, containers for arbitrary information-and transmitting information is generally protected as free speech. 

the fundamental unit of crypto is tokens, containers for arbitrary value-and transmitting value is generally among the most highly regulated activities in world. 

so while permissionless innovation in crypto is similarly enabled by open protocols, it’s lack of a regulatory protection or clarity has been limiting.

My problem with this analogy, even though it’s true to some extent, is that is assume money is treated the same as information in our society. It isn’t and never was. See Section 230 vs. Bank Secrecy Act. So we need that to change first. 

Policy Communications at Consensys; Ex-Circle Strategy, Crypto Startup Advisor

Yes, but I would contend it will take far more political will than it did in the 1990s, since we can’t rely on the constitutional precedents or cultural norms that information had. Not saying it’s impossible, but we shouldn’t be naive to that fact

i think the point is that it would take political action to get money treated more like information

thats my point. information != value, which is what makes this fight so much harder.