We hear about and care about data and digital privacy a lot. Big tech has lost public trust regarding how data is collected and what it’s used for. There is a sense of a total lack of control and understanding. Regulations can’t keep up. Are regulations even the best or most effective way to influence this issue?
There is dignity in privacy. The key is for us to build high-trust systems and environments that can bring out the best in people, not the worst. Because, we’ve all witnessed bad social behaviour enabled by anonymity online.
It’s important to think about why and to what degree privacy serves the objective of what is being built.
Keep in mind that having lots and lots of user data has created the most successful business models on the internet so far, and also has allowed us to train Artificial Intelligence in a way not possible before we had enormous amounts of digital data reflecting human behaviour.
Data is inseparable from how digital systems work and is required to make them operational and useful.
Technological advancements enabling new possibilities of privacy & zero-knowledge infrastructure in itself, is very interesting. Identifying where privacy and zero-knowledge are essential for human dignity and thriving is much more important.
For those of us working in this world, we are tasked with identifying and implementing these methods and systems. We are responsible for creating systems that prioritize privacy and accountability at the same time.
The blockchain industry, and blockchain as a technology, has promised to make a huge impact to many global industries. Advancements in ZK tech offers even more unique value that has never been possible until now.
In identity verification, for example. Enabling systems to verify user identity, or attributes about their identity, on a need to know basis, and preserving the anonymity of the user when appropriate.
For human rights watchdogs, whistleblowing, corruption monitoring, and journalism, when anonymous reporting is very important.
Recording accountability in supply chains, where the market is demanding ethical sources of labour and material, allowing companies to communicate information about their supply chains, while maintaining trade secrets.
In anti-censorship and the ability to participate in conversations without fear of stigma or punishment.
To enable the ability to privately exchange digital assets.
One of the main arguments in favour of digital surveillance, will always be protecting safety and stopping crime. So the question becomes, how do we create systems through math and incentives that aren’t swamps of trolls and criminals? And how can we get them to facilitate trust and privacy? There are other questions being discussed, like to what degree the internet should be surveilled for this reason and by whom. But, let’s save that topic for another day.
Game Theory helps us understand how people make decisions when their choices impact others. It’s especially useful in blockchain, where systems rely on people acting in their own self-interest. Game Theory shows how the design of rules and incentives can shape behavior. It helps us build systems where the smart choice for each person also supports the network as a whole. When designing incentive structures, industry leaders should consider how to get this right.
There are people and organizations all over the globe who are working hard to create systems and solutions to restore public trust, respect human dignity through privacy, creating permissionless utilities when appropriate, all while creating seamless and awesome experiences in our digital lives.
3oC, alongside our intelligent ecosystem partners, are very proud to be making these efforts and concepts available publicly to global users through our app and system. Now available to download on the App Store.
By Candice Daisley
