The word cryptocurrency has gradually made its way into the mainstream and nowadays is frequently used in pop culture.

The most recent example of this is a 59-second ad that Google posted on YouTube promoting its new app Call Screen, designed to inform users about who is calling them and why.

In the ad, actors Dulce Sloan and Ronny Chieng humorously present the new app. Towards the end, Chieng tells Sloan he has received a call, and she asks from who, to which he replies, “the electric company”. Sloan then asks, “they said your bill is super high, right? He responds: “Well, cryptocurrency mining consumes a lot of energy”. Sloan says that cryptocurrency is money that isn’t real, to which he replies: “Yeah, well I’ve got news for you… money isn’t real”. Sloan ends the ad with “You gonna live that lie”.

Google is not fond of crypto at all but has embraced blockchain technology. It placed a ban on crypto-related ads earlier in the year and in September it partially reversed its decision, allowing for cryptocurrency startups to promote their products and services once again. The ban was aimed at cracking down on high-profile scams that were advertising on the internet.

The Catch

The US comedy-drama television series, which initially aired on ABC and then on Netflix, and stars Mireille Enos and Peter Krause, mentions blockchain and Ethereum in the third episode of its second season.

In once scene, a hitman known as The Hammer is explaining to private investigators how he’s hired for assassinations.

“Do you know anything about blockchain databases? The Ethereum network?” he asks. The female investigator responds: “It facilitates payments through computer-generated cryptocurrency.”

The hitman then says that is how the relationship is kept private and anonymous and explains: “I get paid half up front and the half upon proof-of-death (PoD).”

The male investigator asks: “What constitute proof-of-death?” The Hammer replies: “Sending a head or a finger.”

A Google search error

Google has come in for strong criticism because when one enters “CEO of Bitcoin” as a search criterion, it comes back with Warren Buffet, Berkshire Hathaway’ CEO, JP Morgan Chase boss Jamie Dimon, and Mastercard CEO Ajay Banga. All of these have trashed Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies.

Google also seems to believe that Bitcoin is a firm with headquarters in Virginia. It, of course, is not an organisation or company and therefore has no CEO.