Ethereum News Today: Buterin Bets Ethereum's Neutrality on a Clash With Censorship

Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum, has reiterated his support for a multi-proposer block design as a strategy to defend the network’s neutrality against potential censorship. In recent discussions, Buterin emphasized Ethereum’s “dumb pipe” philosophy—its commitment to impartially processing all valid transactions without bias. This stance was articulated in response to concerns over the legal risks faced by U.S. validators, who could be exposed to sanctions if their actions are deemed complicit in the inclusion of transactions from sanctioned entities [1].

The core of Buterin’s proposal revolves around a mechanism known as Fork-Choice Enforced Inclusion Lists (FOCIL), which introduces multiple proposers per block slot rather than the current one-proposer-per-slot model. Under this design, one proposer is designated as the primary decision-maker for transaction order, while the remaining proposers serve as attesters whose transactions must also be included in the block. This multi-proposer framework significantly complicates the ability of any single block builder to censor transactions, as their influence is diluted across a larger group of proposers [1].

Buterin outlined three primary steps to reinforce Ethereum’s neutrality: strengthening the public mempool to ensure healthy transaction flow, developing distributed block-building systems to prevent centralization in block production, and creating alternative transaction inclusion channels to safeguard against censorship. These measures are intended to prevent a scenario where a small group of block builders could exert undue control over the network [4].

Despite these proposals, Buterin’s ideas have drawn criticism, particularly from fellow Ethereum developer Ameen Soleimani. Soleimani argued that FOCIL could introduce legal risks for U.S.-based validators by forcing them to include transactions that may be flagged by regulators. He cited the Tornado Cash case, where nearly 90% of validators initially excluded related transactions, resulting in delayed but eventual settlement. Soleimani warned that mandatory inclusion under FOCIL could expose validators to legal liability, as U.S. regulators might use the mechanism as a tool to target operators for sanctions violations [4].

Buterin, however, maintains that the trade-off is justified for the sake of long-term censorship resistance. He stressed that Ethereum’s base layer should remain neutral, regardless of external pressures or legal uncertainties. This perspective aligns with broader discussions within the Ethereum community about balancing decentralization with compliance [1]. While some argue for a more hands-off approach, trusting the existing validator set to act in the network’s best interest, others, like Buterin, advocate for proactive architectural changes to reinforce neutrality.

The debate highlights the ongoing tension between ensuring regulatory compliance and preserving the decentralized ethos of blockchain technology. Buterin’s multi-proposer design aims to navigate this challenge by embedding censorship resistance directly into the protocol, reducing reliance on external enforcement and validator altruism [4]. As the Ethereum ecosystem continues to evolve, these discussions will likely shape the network’s future governance and technical direction.

Source:

[1] Vitalik Buterin Defends Ethereum Neutrality with Multi-Proposer Design (https://www.livebitcoinnews.com/buterin-defends-ethereum-neutrality-with-multi%E2%80%91proposer-design/)

[2] Vitalik Buterin Makes New Proposal to Enhance Neutrality (https://www.mitrade.com/insights/news/live-news/article-3-1064172-20250824)

[3] Vitalik's Brilliant Plan: Securing Ethereum's Base Layer (https://www.bitget.com/news/detail/12560604926378)