Hi; The article linked to below suggested to me one category of problem that we could consider for blockchains. It seems to me that in a generic sense blockchain technology is technology in the service of governance and transparency. And further, since Kantara is all about identity, the category of problem that the report may choose to focus or include is how can we design/build/implement IBCT's (newly identified acronym: Identity Block Chain Technologies) that have the following characteristics: 1. Facilitates appropriate levels of identity proof (only need to prove of age at a liquor store, but will need strong proof that I'm the full natural person when voting). 2. Provide aggregate transparency and reporting so that anyone - citizen or government - can see where and what kinds of identity proofs are being used by the government. 3. Provides individual privacy protection and audit capability. I can audit who has looked at my identity information and in what context, but I CANNOT do that for any other person. I'm not fully immersed in the blockchain hype machine, but I'm fully aware that all this and more (but wait...) has been promised by block chain evangelists, but I'm not sure how seriously to take some or all of that. Linked article: http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Passcode/Passcode-Voices/2016/0729/Opinion-Ho... Sincerely, John Wunderlich @PrivacyCDN Call: +1 (647) 669-4749 eMail: john@wunderlich.ca -- This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If you have received this email in error please notify the system manager. This message contains confidential information and is intended only for the individual named. If you are not the named addressee you should not disseminate, distribute or copy this e-mail. Please notify the sender immediately by e-mail if you have received this e-mail by mistake and delete this e-mail from your system. If you are not the intended recipient you are notified that disclosing, copying, distributing or taking any action in reliance on the contents of this information is strictly prohibited.
John, The three bullets you suggest strike me as a collection of use cases, rather than a single one - even if addressed by a single solution. I think a simple, straightforward use case that might be suitable for the blockchain would be voting. The blockchain is excellent for preventing the double spending of Bitcoins. If each voter had a voting token, s/he would only be able to spend it once each voting cycle. Voting records would then be audiitable. And with some added obfuscation of identities (for which there are several techniques available), votes could not be tracked to individuals. The biggest fraud would be to have a single person register under multiple identities to gain access to multiple tokens. But that is a current problem, not a shortcoming of such a system. Jeff --------------------------------- Jeff Stollman stollman.j@gmail.com +1 202.683.8699 <stollman.j@gmail.com> Truth never triumphs — its opponents just die out. Science advances one funeral at a time. Max Planck On Wed, Aug 3, 2016 at 3:53 PM, John Wunderlich <john@wunderlich.ca> wrote:
Hi;
The article linked to below suggested to me one category of problem that we could consider for blockchains. It seems to me that in a generic sense blockchain technology is technology in the service of governance and transparency. And further, since Kantara is all about identity, the category of problem that the report may choose to focus or include is how can we design/build/implement IBCT's (newly identified acronym: Identity Block Chain Technologies) that have the following characteristics:
1. Facilitates appropriate levels of identity proof (only need to prove of age at a liquor store, but will need strong proof that I'm the full natural person when voting).
2. Provide aggregate transparency and reporting so that anyone - citizen or government - can see where and what kinds of identity proofs are being used by the government.
3. Provides individual privacy protection and audit capability. I can audit who has looked at my identity information and in what context, but I CANNOT do that for any other person.
I'm not fully immersed in the blockchain hype machine, but I'm fully aware that all this and more (but wait...) has been promised by block chain evangelists, but I'm not sure how seriously to take some or all of that.
Linked article: http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Passcode/Passcode-Voices/2016/0729/Opinion-Ho...
Sincerely, John Wunderlich @PrivacyCDN
Call: +1 (647) 669-4749 eMail: john@wunderlich.ca
This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If you have received this email in error please notify the system manager. This message contains confidential information and is intended only for the individual named. If you are not the named addressee you should not disseminate, distribute or copy this e-mail. Please notify the sender immediately by e-mail if you have received this e-mail by mistake and delete this e-mail from your system. If you are not the intended recipient you are notified that disclosing, copying, distributing or taking any action in reliance on the contents of this information is strictly prohibited.
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