<p>The short answer, is because "the blockchain" has no idea whether your bitcoin got stolen, or whether you actually intended to spend it. The blockchain sees a legitimate spend and a theft as the same thing: A transfer from one account to another.</p>

<p>What the setup instructions are trying to protect you from is losing the <em>private key</em> to your wallet. If somebody learns your wallet private key, then they can spend your money. The catch is, you don't know whether somebody else has a copy of your private key until your bitcoins are gone.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-07-06T23:32:39.977Z
2017-07-06T23:32:39.977Z
Greg Hewgill
<p>Bitcoin allows you to transact with a system that works without relying on any others. You can be financially independent from banks to safeguard your money or inflation.</p>

<p>This comes with a huge responsibility, however. You become your own bank, and security failures in your computer setup (preventing either theft or loss) become entirely your own fault.</p>

<p>I don't expect that most people will make this choice, and instead will still rely on others. That is fine. The power Bitcoin gives is to at least have a choice to be independent, and hopefully allowing easier competition.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-07-07T13:14:02.880Z
Two excellent answers! Thank you! I am encouraged! It's great to get cogent answers so quickly. My original query at Google was " Get bitcoin answers to questions from people who know and CARE." Looks like I found a few. Thanks again.
Ox Otherix
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-07-07T04:32:26.430Z
2017-07-07T04:32:26.430Z
Pieter Wuille
<p>They evangelize about The Blockchain. It cannot be changed or tampered with. It's TRUST without needing to actually trust any person. So, tell me. Why is it that when I watch Youtubes of how to set up a Bitcoin Wallet, I get dire warnings of: "You have to do it THIS way and take THESE precautions OR ELSE your Bitcoin might get STOLEN!" I mean, if the Blockchain is so pristine, why not just TELL IT that your bitcoin got stolen... and, therefore, no one can use it?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-07-07T21:48:38.047Z
Welcome to Bitcoin SE!  To make your question attract more readers, and therefore better answers, try to include the question in the title of the post.  It helps people who are skimming questions to understand what you are trying to find out.  Keep posting great questions!
Jestin
<wallet>
Why can't you just tell the blockchain that your bitcoin was stolen so that nobody can use it?
Ox Otherix
# Why can't you just tell the blockchain that your bitcoin was stolen so that nobody can use it?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-07-06)

They evangelize about The Blockchain. It cannot be changed or tampered with. It's TRUST without needing to actually trust any person. So, tell me. Why is it that when I watch Youtubes of how to set up a Bitcoin Wallet, I get dire warnings of: "You have to do it THIS way and take THESE precautions OR ELSE your Bitcoin might get STOLEN!" I mean, if the Blockchain is so pristine, why not just TELL IT that your bitcoin got stolen... and, therefore, no one can use it?

**Tags:** wallet

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Welcome to Bitcoin SE!  To make your question attract more readers, and therefore better answers, try to include the question in the title of the post.  It helps people who are skimming questions to understand what you are trying to find out.  Keep posting great questions!  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2017-07-06. Score: 4

The short answer, is because "the blockchain" has no idea whether your bitcoin got stolen, or whether you actually intended to spend it. The blockchain sees a legitimate spend and a theft as the same thing: A transfer from one account to another.

What the setup instructions are trying to protect you from is losing the *private key* to your wallet. If somebody learns your wallet private key, then they can spend your money. The catch is, you don't know whether somebody else has a copy of your private key until your bitcoins are gone.


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### Answer by username_3 on 2017-07-07. Score: 3

Bitcoin allows you to transact with a system that works without relying on any others. You can be financially independent from banks to safeguard your money or inflation.

This comes with a huge responsibility, however. You become your own bank, and security failures in your computer setup (preventing either theft or loss) become entirely your own fault.

I don't expect that most people will make this choice, and instead will still rely on others. That is fine. The power Bitcoin gives is to at least have a choice to be independent, and hopefully allowing easier competition.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Two excellent answers! Thank you! I am encouraged! It's great to get cogent answers so quickly. My original query at Google was " Get bitcoin answers to questions from people who know and CARE." Looks like I found a few. Thanks again.  

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