Weekly Roundup 6/29/18
‘Twas the week of blockchain!
Brazil’s central bank unveiled plans to use a blockchain-powered platform for sharing information between financial regulators; South Korea published a blockchain development strategy; and Malta took steps to become the world’s first “Blockchain Island.” These are only a few of the projects included in a list of over 200 applications of blockchain used by governments (as well as for buying and selling CryptoKitties.)
Also this week, the Observatory of Public Sector Innovation (OPSI) released a new guide for civil servants to understand, and also use, blockchain for government services. Soon after, The New York Times published a Dealbook Briefing outlining the history and functions of blockchain, as well as a handy cryptoslang dictionary. Both reports highlight the potential of blockchain to improve trust in government, facilitate payment transfers, and coordinate services.
Does this mean that blockchain is a panacea for all problems? Well, maybe not. Both reports highlight that the technology can have powerful applications, it also requires responsible public sector management.
Tech news
- Facebook launches Ads Transparency Center
- Twitter also launches Ads Transparency Center
- Reddit begins beta testing for news tab
Misinformation
- Apple news prepares to combat misinformation before midterm elections
- Mexico struggles to weed out disinformation before election
Civic tech
- Scottish government’s model for service delivery shows potential
- How New York uses software networking to undergird infrastructure
- Kazakhstan plans to integrate smart-technologies into lawmaking
Open internet
Open Data