Skip to main content

The blockchain of trust

Ever since I read this post https://www.marketsimplified.com/disrupting-fintech-blockchain/ by mister Goku, have been fascinated by the concept of cypto-currencies and block chain and have long wanted to do a post on them. Have tried my hand a bit with whatever little info that I could understand from the materials online. Feel free to pitch-in to correct anything contrary to what is stated below.

How critical it is in current world to create “trust”, considering we’ve companies that solely run on them – Airbnb, Etsy, Uber, Facebook. These are the current generation’s super giants, who go by the concept of not owning any inventory, but selling the concept of a better user interface. Reputation and trust which their clients have on them is very critical for their existence and survival. How important it is to verify contents when reputations are at stake with fake news taking on MSM? One wrong or false information on the net, with conspiratorial tone, can cause irreparable damage to the company and their goodwill.

Take the case of over the counter drugs or even prescribed ones for that matter. With so many versions of WebMD sites on the net, querying about any tablet for its side effects or symptoms of a disease is quite easy. But when we actually buy the drug from the pharmacy, it is basically trust on the seal of the strip for the expiry/manufacturing dates mentioned on them. How vital it is to ensure fake drugs are prohibited for patients when lives are at stake? How useful it would be, if one can verify the entire lifecycle of the drug from formula to finished product till how it ended up with them at the click of a code?

Various studies, categorically confirm that, by 2020 there would be 50 billion mobile apps in circulation, each vying for the attention of the 7 billion odd people of the planet. Trust is the only capital they would be looking for along with gut feeling and probably user review and feedback. With the lifetime of a mobile app lesser than that of a firefly in case of unfavorable reviews, how vital it is for the company to be transparent and win the confidence of their clientele by sharing undisputable facts?

Quis custodiet ipsos custodies – Who will guard the guardians?

The single biggest selling point of Block Chain is that, it reinvigorate the concept of trust by making any data on it immutable and making way for the biggest democratizing force in human history, where collective trust outweighs individual irregularities, through an economy that is fully programmed. As an early adopter to the concept, Walmart, which took almost 7 days to track the details related to the Mangoes they procured from farm to store, an activity, which despite their best efforts, had many gaps in the information of the supply chain flow, managed to achieve the same in 2 seconds post going live with Block chain. The promise of Block chain is that, it offers an autonomous and decentralized store of value – not just for money but for intellectual property, real property and anything that can be owned.

How to setup a Block Chain?

The phrase is often bandied with various other terms like “distributed ledger”, “smart contracts”, “mining”, “crypto currencies”.

What will happen to incorrect data, accidently stored? How to correct the immutable chain? If there is a way to fix the data, wouldn’t it be in contradiction to the concept of immutability?

Will try to pitch in with simpler description for each in subsequent posts.


Comments

Ramesh said…
Woo Hoo - a business post from Gilsu. Yes, its a technology that you are writing about, but still this is a business application and I am intrigued that your interest turned this way.

I know very little about Technology, but I am surprised to see you lead into Blockchain not from the financial world but from traditional business. Yes, trust is all important - that's why a brand has so much value. That's why regulators are important. That's why we have consumer protection laws and so on. I am intrigued as to how blockchain technology will disrupt tradition consumer trust and the mechanisms that currently are in place.

Write on Gilsu. I will eagerly follow this series.
gils said…
:))) thanks thala..will try to collate bit more info regarding this topic
Vincy said…
WOW. gilsu my turn to say "Education" for me. thank you so much for the knowledge dissemination. :-) :-)

Popular posts from this blog

Enna koduma saaar ithu!!!!

We are a group of 5 who share our apartment. Usually me and one more guy are the last to the leave the house everyday morning. Yesterday, the one who used to leave first for office, didnt come home till 11. I went to sleep after the usual book reading session at around 11.30. When i woke up i saw it was only me who was still lying on the mat while even the guy who leaves for office along with me, had already started folding his bed!! I was feeling very tired and sleepy and was in two minds whether i should take off or go late. Still managed to crawl..brushed teeth half sleeping and swtiched on the geyser. I turned back to see, suddenly it was pitch dark outside the bathroom!! Since the light was On inside, it wasnt power cut and i came out to see what was wrong. The guy who folded his bed, had moved to the hall and was again asleep!! Then only i noticed, it was dark outside the balcony too!!! I checked the time. It was 3AM!!! BOOOOHOOOOOOO!!! SOB SOB SOB!!! That useless guy afterwards ...

From Confedration towards Confused Nation

Andru: "avvvvvvvvvvvvv.....enaku antha bommai venum..." "chellam...adam pudikathada..saapdu" "saapda maaten po..enaku antha bomma vaangithanthaa thaan sapduven" "chamthula..saapduma...amma paavamla.." "avvvvvvvvvvvvv.....maaaten maaten" "ipo sapdla..udha vizhum" "maaten...maaten..maaten" The kid ultimately prevails and the doll is bought. Indru: "Fast unto death"..."wont even drink a drop of water...till telengaana is achieved"..."blood will flow.." blah blah blah... And this time the government yields to the demand. Thottil pazhakkam sudukaadu mattumnu summava solranga. Ithuku thaan chinna vayasulaye nalla naalu kaatu kaati iruntha intha mathiri caselaam adangirukum.

Rudhra Veenai

Took binge watching to a whole new level and completed Rudhra Veenai series in a week's time :) The best part of the lot being, i didnt see the last episode to know the ending, despite the craving urge right from midway onto the series. Yay to that :)  The story by Indira Soundrarajan, made into drama series by Radaan have been on my radar for few years now and thanks to my blog mate and good friend Brags, managed to get hold of the series. For long my complaint against tamil series is that they are in no league to match the thrill element of the english drama series. There are some handful of good comedy series like Flight 171, Ramany vs Ramany but none to match a good suspense thriller till i stumbled on the Marmadesam series. Read in some survey that they've been voted as the best ever tamil series of the 90's. Not sure on the authenticity, but they would definitely worth any such accolades. Marmadesam series where way too ahead of their time for any drama series is my...