BLOCKCHAIN FOR

SOCIAL GOOD
December 13, 2017
Dr. Cara LaPointe
Lara Fishbane
Jessica Bluestein
Vaman Desai
Eric Chen
Daniel Marshall
Goals of Convening

Lay out our work to date and present a draft of the

Ask you for input + feedback
framework structure

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Why is blockchain
unique?

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What are the Key Characteristics of Blockchain?

DIGITAL DISTRIBUTED LEDGER

TRUST TRANSPARENT IMMUTABLE

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The Potential of Blockchain

CREATING ASSET FINANCIAL SMART

IDENTITY TRACKING TECHNOLOGY CONTRACTS

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But, the same
characteristics that make
blockchain potentially so
interesting also introduce
challenges.
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 A Framework
for Privacy & Ethics

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 Build Community

Understand the Challenges

Our Process
Develop an Actionable
Framework

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 75+
3 Major Project
Convenings
Organizations Engaged
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Key Academic
Collaborations

Discussions with
Experts 100+ Across 3 Continents

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Guiding Principles Outcomes Based

to Building the User Centric

Framework Iterative Design Process

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Overview of the Framework Process
Identify the desired social good outcome of the relevant project
Conduct an initial ecosystem assessment of that outcome
Understand the technology options available to achieve that outcome
Determine the best technology options given the assessment
Is blockchain the most appropriate technology for the context?
If so, conduct an iterative design and assessment process to achieve the desired outcome
Use the blockchain-specific overarching questions to guide design choices
Assess how these design choices affect the ecosystem components, privacy and ethics
Evaluate if the design achieves the desired outcome, including the user perspective
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Iterative Design and Assessment Process

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What are the elements
that influence an
outcome?

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Ecosystem Assessment

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Is blockchain the right
technology choice for this
outcome? If so, what kind
of blockchain?

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Blockchain: A Family of Technologies

Permissioned vs. Permissionless Nodes Private vs. Public Ledger

Choice of Consensus Algorithm Where is Data Stored?

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What are the key design
questions specific to
blockchain?

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Blockchain-Specific Questions: Six Main Categories

GOVERNANCE IDENTITY ACCESS

AUTHENTICATION DATA OWNERSHIP SECURITY

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Overarching Questions
How is governance created and maintained?
How is identity established?
How are inputs and transactions authenticated?
How is access defined, granted, and executed?
How is security set up and ensured?
How is ownership of data defined, granted, and executed?

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Building the Overarching Questions into the Framework

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Governance
Overarching Question: How is governance created and maintained?
Governance refers to the rules and regulations of the blockchain. It includes questions such as who
sets up the rules and regulations, who maintains the system, how the rules are executed in practice,
and how a blockchain system would be closed out.

WHO WHAT HOW

Who are the stakeholders and
what are their roles?
Who sets up the governance?
Who decides on changes to the
governance?
What are the technical rules that
govern the system?
What are the capabilities of
nodes and other stakeholders in
the system?
How do stakeholders interact
and communicate?
How does the system continue
or close out if key stakeholders
exit?

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Identity
Overarching Question: How is identity established?
Identity in this context refers to the collection of identifiers needed to adequately affirm that an
end-user is who he or she says. The underlying premise is that some level of identity is necessary for
users to access certain services.

WHAT LEVEL OF IDENTITY? WHICH IDENTIFIERS?

Foundational OR Transactional?
What components of identity are
necessary in a transactional
context?
Which identifiers establish that 1) the identity claimed is real and
unique and 2) the user claiming the identity is the rightful owner of
that identity?
Is there a set of minimally-viable identifiers that can be used?
Could exposure of any of these identifiers put end users at risk?

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Access
Overarching Question: How is access defined, granted, and executed?
Access refers to any stakeholders ability to use the system. Access includes both of physical access
such as read and write permissions as well as more intangible questions around digital literacy.

WHO WHAT HOW

Who determines who has access to the What technology is needed How do users get access
blockchain? to access the system? to their own
Who has access to write information? What understanding of the information?
Who has access to view or read information? system is needed to use it
effectively?

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Authentication
Overarching Question: How are inputs and transactions authenticated?
Authentication refers to the verification of information and transactions both as they are entered
onto the system and also as they occur. Authentication includes questions such as who completes
the verification and the method by which its done.

WHO HOW

Who authenticates the veracity How is authentication done?

of input data? For the zero state?
For follow on data input?
Who authenticates For transactions?
transactions on the How do you ensure that all relevant stakeholders trust the
blockchain? authentication process?

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Data Ownership
Overarching Question: How is ownership of data defined, granted, and executed?
Data ownership refers to exercise of control over data. It addresses questions such as who owns the
data, who exercises control over the data, where and how the data is stored, and how adjustments
are made to incorrect information.

WHO WHAT HOW

Who has nominal What effective control over data do How do end users exert ownership
ownership of data? different stakeholders have? Who over their data, if they have it?
benefits?
Who has physical How do end users have incorrect
control of data? Where is data stored? Is it on the information on the blockchain
blockchain or linked to from an external fixed?
source?
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Security
Overarching Question: How is security set up and ensured?
Security refers to the protection of information from potential threats. At an individual level, this
refers to a users understanding of potential risks as well as private key management. At the system
level, this refers to potential vulnerabilities within and at the periphery of the system.

WHO HOW: SYSTEM LEVEL HOW: INDIVIDUAL LEVEL

Who sets up, How do you ensure that vulnerable data is How do you ensure that individuals are
maintains, and protected as cryptographic and hacking aware of and can protect themselves
updates security? technologies evolve? against potential security threats?
Who is responsible How could peripheral connections to a How do you ensure that users maintain
for potential blockchain be vulnerable to security effective and safe access to private keys?
breaches? threats?

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Proposed Framework

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Moving Forward

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 We would appreciate your
thoughts and feedback as we
move forward in finalizing the
framework.

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Share Feedback Here: tiny.cc/bc4sgfeedback
Email: Cara.LaPointe@georgetown.edu
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