3 ms·

Citizens give up data in blockchain project to improve cities

19 points by iamcreasy 9y ago

MichaelBurge 9y ago
How does the blockchain improve people's control over their data compared to some telemetry settings in the cell phone app itself? Also, the same app is being used to collect tracking data, market your unused power tools, and comment on city legislature? I guess these are excuses to get people to install it. A small tax credit to install a tracking app seems like it'd be more efficient.
- Rmilb 9y ago
  The blockchain can be used to enrypt the data you generate on a blockchain and entrust the user with a cryptographic token that can be used to generate different tokens that allow others to decrypt specific sets of data, like location tracking. The tough part about this is that for the user to truly own their data, they must be entrusted with the root keys of their data, and if they lose it, and their backup pass phrase, the data is lost forever.
  - nsuser3 9y ago
    > the data is lost forever. Unless someone copied it?
  - deleted 9y ago
    [deleted]
frgtpsswrdlame 9y ago
On one hand I think if the average citizen is throwing off all this information about themselves, it's probably better that municipalities receive some and are able to govern with (maybe) a bit more nuance. On the other hand it feels a bit like conditioning people to give information away. It's nice that you get to choose how much of it you give away, it just feels odd that it exists at all.
- woodrowbarlow 9y ago
  in my opinion, the biggest problem with data mining today is that the layperson doesn't understand who is gathering information, what information is being gathered, and how to control that information. furthermore, i think corporations and other interested bodies believe that this opaqueness is the only way they can get access to the information they want... and i'm not convinced that's the case. if this sets a precedent for volunteering information in a transparent manner through known channels with deliberate controls, i really think everyone can win.

19 points by iamcreasy 9y ago

How does the blockchain improve people's control over their data compared to some telemetry settings in the cell phone app itself? Also, the same app is being used to collect tracking data, market your unused power tools, and comment on city legislature? I guess these are excuses to get people to install it. A small tax credit to install a tracking app seems like it'd be more efficient.

Rmilb 9y ago
The blockchain can be used to enrypt the data you generate on a blockchain and entrust the user with a cryptographic token that can be used to generate different tokens that allow others to decrypt specific sets of data, like location tracking. The tough part about this is that for the user to truly own their data, they must be entrusted with the root keys of their data, and if they lose it, and their backup pass phrase, the data is lost forever.
- nsuser3 9y ago
  > the data is lost forever. Unless someone copied it?
- deleted 9y ago
  [deleted]

frgtpsswrdlame 9y ago

On one hand I think if the average citizen is throwing off all this information about themselves, it's probably better that municipalities receive some and are able to govern with (maybe) a bit more nuance. On the other hand it feels a bit like conditioning people to give information away. It's nice that you get to choose how much of it you give away, it just feels odd that it exists at all.

woodrowbarlow 9y ago
in my opinion, the biggest problem with data mining today is that the layperson doesn't understand who is gathering information, what information is being gathered, and how to control that information. furthermore, i think corporations and other interested bodies believe that this opaqueness is the only way they can get access to the information they want... and i'm not convinced that's the case. if this sets a precedent for volunteering information in a transparent manner through known channels with deliberate controls, i really think everyone can win.