The power of blockchain for positive change

When it comes to the realm of blockchain, ‘disruption’ is a term you’ll hear tossed around a lot, sometimes with relish, elsewhere with foreboding.

The technology’s been tipped to upturn the apple cart on everything from charity to transport.

Whilst the incoming change is potentially considerable, what matters most may be our perspective on the evolution itself… And the word ‘disrupt’, though dynamic, has definite negative connotations.

So for a change of pace, let’s take look at some areas that can be positively affected by the introduction of blockchain.

For starters, let’s get really clear on what a blockchain is.

It isn’t the solution to all the world’s problems, as some may lead you to believe, but it has great usefulness in particular cases. Some examples include…

If you want a democratic process for your election — put it on the blockchain.

Applying blockchain to voting processes seems like a no-brainer, particularly in countries that experience corruption.

Blockchain-recorded voting eliminates things like room for people to debate final results and makes it much harder to tamper with the course of democracy.

Beyond just blockchain, add cryptocurrency and smart contracts into the mix and you have a potential solution for the issues dogging creative industries like cinema and music…

Aside from tracking intellectual property with the blockchain, these technologies can offer new ways to purchase creative products like music, effectively removing the record-company middleman or streaming service and putting more funds directly in the pockets of artists.

Un-sexy as it may seem to consumers, logistics are of course a key part of providing the products we enjoy, and tracking is an absolutely brilliant use for the blockchain.

For companies which have products that are high value or ripped off quite frequently, blockchain enables the end-consumer to figure out where their product came from, with a fairly high degree of confidence.

It’s even great for re-sellers — with products recorded on the blockchain from the beginning of production, it means that you could reliably re-buy a ‘Louis V’ if you wanted to.

But beyond the realm of luxury goods, consider the use of blockchain for tracking on a macro scale and you have a solution to the trade reputations for entire nations.

That’s not just wishful thinking — for example in New Zealand, where blockchain-powered logistics are being put to work to combat problems around fake Kiwi-born products being sold in China.

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Which other areas do you think blockchain technology has the potential to positively affect?

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