diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 7bcde402..20d7f92b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 
 # BigchainDB Server
 
-BigchainDB is a scalable blockchain database. [The whitepaper](https://www.bigchaindb.com/whitepaper/) explains what that means.
+BigchainDB is a blockchain database.
 
 ## Get Started with BigchainDB Server
 
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ BigchainDB is a scalable blockchain database. [The whitepaper](https://www.bigch
 ## Links for Everyone
 
 * [BigchainDB.com](https://www.bigchaindb.com/) - the main BigchainDB website, including newsletter signup
-* [Whitepaper](https://www.bigchaindb.com/whitepaper/) - outlines the motivations, goals and core algorithms of BigchainDB
 * [Roadmap](https://github.com/bigchaindb/org/blob/master/ROADMAP.md)
 * [Blog](https://medium.com/the-bigchaindb-blog)
 * [Twitter](https://twitter.com/BigchainDB)
diff --git a/bigchaindb/README.md b/bigchaindb/README.md
index cd177c85..23242b77 100644
--- a/bigchaindb/README.md
+++ b/bigchaindb/README.md
@@ -2,13 +2,11 @@
 
 A high-level description of the files and subdirectories of BigchainDB.
 
-There are three database tables which underpin BigchainDB: `backlog`, where incoming transactions are held temporarily until they can be consumed; `bigchain`, where blocks of transactions are written permanently; and `votes`, where votes are written permanently.  It is the votes in the `votes` table which must be queried to determine block validity and order. For more in-depth explanation, see [the whitepaper](https://www.bigchaindb.com/whitepaper/).
-
 ## Files
 
 ### [`core.py`](./core.py)
 
-The `Bigchain` class is defined here.  Most operations outlined in the [whitepaper](https://www.bigchaindb.com/whitepaper/) as well as database interactions are found in this file.  This is the place to start if you are interested in implementing a server API, since many of these class methods concern BigchainDB interacting with the outside world.
+The `Bigchain` class is defined here.  Most node-level operations and database interactions are found in this file.  This is the place to start if you are interested in implementing a server API, since many of these class methods concern BigchainDB interacting with the outside world.
 
 ### [`models.py`](./models.py)