« Index

 

Censorship Resistance

Network Principle, Transaction Freedom

Censorship Resistance is the property of a blockchain, protocol, or network that makes it extremely difficult or impossible for any central authority, government, or third party to block, alter, or reverse user activity or transactions. This principle ensures anyone can access, use, or publish on the network without fear of being denied service or having their data tampered with—making open blockchains like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP Ledger truly global and inclusive.

Use Case: When a user submits a transaction to a public blockchain, it cannot be selectively blocked, deleted, or rolled back by any party—guaranteeing that access and participation remain open to all.

Key Concepts:

  • Decentralization — Distributes power across many participants, preventing single-point censorship.
  • Permissionless — Ensures anyone can access and use the network freely.
  • Trustless — Eliminates reliance on trusted intermediaries that could enforce censorship.
  • Consensus Mechanism — The protocol ensuring that all valid transactions are included, regardless of sender or content.

Summary: Censorship resistance is core to blockchain’s promise—ensuring all voices and transactions are treated equally and that access to digital money and information remains outside the reach of centralized control.

Aspect Censorship-Prone System Censorship-Resistant System
Control Central party can block or reverse activity No party can unilaterally block, alter, or delete
Participation Access can be denied or limited Open to all without restriction
Network Resilience Single points of failure, subject to shutdown Redundant, globally distributed, hard to stop
Examples Bank accounts, web servers, social media Bitcoin, Ethereum, IPFS

 
« Index