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Opinion | With blockchain, Joe Biden can rebuild trust across America
- Blockchain allows information to be verified, making it a powerful counter to conspiracy theories, voter fraud and deepfakes, enabling trust to be repaired
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After the turmoil of the final weeks of Donald Trump’s presidency, there was a sigh of relief across the world as Joe Biden finally entered the White House. But despite a flurry of executive orders from the new president, we have yet to get a clear reading on how he intends to repair the divisions in society and bring about lasting change.
Not all the blame can be placed at Trump’s door. Across the world, governments and societies are grappling with “alternative facts” and their impact on democracy and trust. Social media platforms and their algorithms have created echo chambers, fanned the fires of conspiracy theories and helped to coordinate nefarious activity.
But technology’s output is dictated by the intent of the people using it. Instead of making a scapegoat of these people, perhaps it is time we harnessed them as a force for good. With its digital traceability, transparency and immutability, blockchain is one such technology that could restore trust in our systems, government and each other.
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In essence, a blockchain is a decentralised, digital ledger that holds records in a secure and transparent way. Each record exists on all computers across the system and is designed so the ledger cannot be retroactively altered. While blockchain is most associated with cryptocurrencies, its applications go far beyond that.
So far, blockchain has proved popular with pioneers in finance, digital identity and supply chain management. However, its potential to counter misinformation in the US has not yet been tapped. This could change.
07:49
Joe Biden becomes 46th US president in scaled-down, socially-distanced inauguration
Joe Biden becomes 46th US president in scaled-down, socially-distanced inauguration
As the Biden administration sets out one of the most ambitious and transformative agendas in recent US history, the president is bringing in lauded experts to advise on how emerging technologies can be used as a force for good.
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