But you also don't want anyone else to flip the switch, or it being flipped for any other purpose. That might just be impossible. So you might be better of without the switch.
> You're not just going to stay anonymous behind a skype number while you're defrauding people halfway across the world.
Also, for this problem, as for many others, there are many possible solutions that don't involve surveillance.
> Also I don't want some bitcoin asshole to pay off an old soviet general and get a nuclear bomb, just because they think it would be a fun troll to blow up a major city, trololo.
So, you would prefer them to use USD cash instead, then?
> These aren't theoretical concerns - ransomware, kidnapping, all these yucky things that civilized societies don't have, all happen absent rule of law.
Except they very much do happen in "civilized societies". And sometimes with the help of the powers of authorities.
> It's not an easy line to find.
No. But it's quite easy to see that the direction we are heading is completely at the wrong end of the spectrum.
> a good kernel isn't reading my memory contents and slowing me down, but if I start performing illegal operations I might very well get shut down :)
Which is very much the opposite of mass surveillance.
> Frankly I don't see why humans even need to be involved,
Humans who see the potential of the collected data will get involved. People who want to abuse power don't usually wait until someone gives them permission to.