The Solana Foundation Faces Backlash Over Controversial Video
The Solana Foundation recently came under fire for a promotional video titled “America is Back—Time to Accelerate” that caused outrage in the crypto community.
Controversial Ad Sparks Outrage
- The ad depicted the United States as a man in therapy struggling to focus on technological progress due to societal debates on pronouns and gender identity.
- It was criticized for being politically charged and divisive, going against the industry’s values of neutrality and inclusivity.
- The video was removed after nine hours but had already garnered over one million views.
‘Very few people’ Involved
Responding to the controversy, Matt Sorg, Solana Foundation’s Vice President of Technology, clarified that only a limited number of individuals within the ecosystem were directly involved in the ad production.
External Teams Involved in Production
- Most production steps were outsourced to external teams, according to Sorg.
- He emphasized that the video did not reflect the broader views of the Solana ecosystem.
Community Response
Despite the defense from Solana, prominent voices within the crypto community criticized the campaign for reigniting debates about political messaging in the industry.
- Caitlin Cook called the ad “embarrassing and cringe,” urging the foundation to focus on inspiring narratives.
- Andrew Thurman criticized blockchain organizations for engaging in political discourse, advocating for neutrality.
- David McIntyre described the video as “horrendous” and stressed the importance of positive messaging about Solana’s impact.
