Soneium, Sony’s Ethereum Layer 2 platform, attempted to block meme coins as part of its official policy to curb unauthorized intellectual property usage. Nonetheless, users found a way to circumvent these measures, demonstrating the strength of decentralized platforms.
Meme Coin Blocking Attempts on Soneium Get Foiled by Crypto-Savvy Users
Soneium, Sony Group’s Ethereum L2 platform, faced its first challenge shortly after its mainnet launch. In an effort to uphold intellectual property rights and contract protection, the platform took steps to restrict the activities of meme coins. This decision led to a backlash from users who were unable to sell their meme coin holdings, resulting in significant losses.
The issue gained attention on social media as users shared their frustrations. However, a group of crypto-savvy individuals managed to outsmart the platform’s block, which was implemented at the RPC node level. By leveraging L1 transactions to bypass the censorship imposed by the chain sequencer, these users demonstrated the resilience of decentralized systems.
Luca Donno, a researcher at L2beat, successfully circumvented the block by utilizing L1 transactions, highlighting the decentralized nature of Soneium’s OP stack chain. While this method requires technical expertise in editing transactions, it proved to be effective in bypassing the imposed restrictions.
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin commended the innovative approach taken by users, emphasizing the importance of decentralized platforms in empowering users and businesses. He noted that the ability to choose the level of control over their transactions is a key feature of Ethereum’s L2 solutions.
Addressing the controversy, Mingshi Song, Soneium’s head of DeFi, acknowledged the challenges of enforcing rules in the blockchain space. While recognizing the need for IP rights protection, Song emphasized the platform’s commitment to preserving user sovereignty and fostering trust among businesses.
Sota Watanabe, CEO of Startale Labs, underscored the complexities involved in building a secure and compliant chain. He praised the initiative taken by Soneium in implementing IP rights protection measures, highlighting the platform’s role in paving the way for mainstream adoption of blockchain technology.
To learn more about the latest developments in Ethereum’s Layer 2 solutions, read our article on the Optimism Stack Update, which introduces support for Layer Three functionalities, funding opportunities, and revenue sharing.