Preparing for an Internet of Things future: In blockchain we trust
There exists a paradox at the heart of the Internet of Things (IoT). While connected devices are expected to dominate every aspect of our lives in the coming years – and already outnumber humans in terms of a basic headcount – belief in the ecosystem’s security is still lacking, and has a long way to go before businesses and individuals fully invest in its potential
Private blockchains allow businesses to pick and choose the most favourable features of decentralised lists, and maintaining control in what is contributed to it at the same time. The result, if managed correctly, could change the way we understand and utilise the IoT
In today’s world, data is indistinguishable from physical identity, and it will only become more entrenched as time goes on. Bank records, voting patterns, addresses and conversations are all tracked in the hope of optimising a particular service or product. But as our digital footprints expand, so too does the visibility to wider audiences.
Fitness app Strava’s recent unveiling of US army bases through its heat map was the physical manifestation of this footprint. IoT – a service built on the use cases of data itself – is not exempt from this tension.