The issue of CSAM being embedded in a blockchain's OP_RETURN field creates a potent political attack vector against decentralization.

The argument, often voiced by figures like Luke Dashjr and aligning with Nick Szabo's security philosophy, is based on two facts:

Immutability: Once illegal data (even a hash or link) is in a block, every archival node operator must permanently download, store, and transmit it.

Criminal Liability: This technical necessity exposes node operators to the threat of legal action for possession and distribution of CSAM.

This threat is the key centralizing force. Individuals and hobbyists quit running nodes to avoid legal risk, leaving the network to well-funded corporate miners and centralized pools. These large entities then introduce censorship filters to comply with regulations, undermining the network's permissionless nature and forcing a shift toward centralization. The law is weaponized against the infrastructure.