If you've been keeping an eye on Ethereum lately, you might have noticed some buzz about censorship on the network dropping to near-zero levels. A recent thread from Shutter Network breaks it down in an engaging video, congratulating everyone sarcastically before diving into the nuances. Let's unpack what they said and why it matters for the blockchain world, especially if you're into meme tokens or DeFi where fair transaction inclusion is key.

The Drop in Censorship: What's Behind It?

In the video, the speaker highlights a post from Everstake pointing out that Ethereum censorship by validators has plummeted. Validators, who are responsible for confirming transactions and building blocks, had been censoring certain transactions—often those linked to sanctioned entities like Tornado Cash—to comply with regulations from the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).

But here's the twist: This drop isn't because validators suddenly decided to stop censoring out of the goodness of their hearts. It ties back to January 2025, when the U.S. Treasury delisted Tornado Cash from its sanctions list after a policy review under the new administration. Tornado Cash, a privacy tool for mixing cryptocurrencies, was seen as a threat for enabling illicit activities, but the delisting means it's no longer flagged. As a result, validators aren't compelled to block related transactions anymore.

The speaker notes this deregulation vibe, possibly influenced by the Trump administration's approach, which has eased some pressures on crypto. We've seen similar trends on other chains too. However, they emphasize: This is great news, but censorship isn't "solved." Regulatory winds can shift, and deeper issues like Miner Extractable Value (MEV) bots and centralized builders still pose risks.

Why Get Excited? The Path to Greater Resistance

Shutter Network isn't just pointing out the problem—they're part of the solution. They tease a "near future" with stronger censorship resistance, built on what they call the "Holy Trinity" of technologies. For those new to this, censorship resistance means ensuring no single entity can arbitrarily block or delay your transactions, keeping the network neutral and decentralized.

From their blog post, the Holy Trinity includes:

• Enshrined Proposer-Builder Separation (ePBS): This integrates Proposer-Builder Separation directly into Ethereum's core protocol (via EIP-7732). It separates the roles of proposing blocks and building them, eliminating trusted middlemen called relays that could censor content.

• Fork-Choice Enforced Inclusion Lists (FOCIL): Proposed in EIP-7805, this creates committees of validators who compile lists of must-include transactions. If a block skips them, it gets invalidated, forcing fair inclusion.

• Encrypted Mempools: Transactions get encrypted before hitting the public mempool, preventing MEV bots from front-running or censoring them. Decryption happens only after inclusion is guaranteed, leveling the playing field.

These three work in tandem: Encrypted transactions go into inclusion lists, which builders must honor under ePBS rules. Shutter Network specializes in this, using threshold encryption—a method where multiple parties must collaborate to decrypt, avoiding single points of failure. They've already implemented a version on Gnosis Chain and are pushing for Ethereum L1.

What This Means for Meme Tokens and Beyond

For meme token enthusiasts, this is huge. Meme coins thrive on hype and quick trades, but censorship can kill momentum—imagine your pump transaction getting delayed because a builder doesn't like it. Stronger resistance means more reliable networks, reducing risks from MEV exploitation or regulatory overreach.

Shutter's vision aligns with Ethereum's goal as a global settlement layer, especially with rising stablecoins and real-world assets (RWAs). If you're building or trading in crypto, keeping tabs on these developments can give you an edge.

Check out the full thread here for the video—it's a quick watch that makes these complex ideas accessible. And if you're curious about Shutter's roadmap, their blog has the deep dive.

In the end, while censorship has dropped, the fight for a truly neutral Ethereum continues. Exciting times ahead!