2017 was certainly an incredible year for the scope of emerging blockchain democracy for Scotland.
In October of 2017 we ourselves launched the world’s pioneering first blockchain democracy Alpha vote demo. Straightforward, place your subject matter online, and those who vote, then verify their vote using the internet, confirmation via smartphones.Given the global aims of blockchain democracy, it was relevant to initiate with a global perspective. So that launch occurred in Thailand!
The demo was enabled in conjunction with Switzerland’s BouleCoin. We initiated seeking a mere handful of participants, and within only a few tweets we had over 2,000 participants. The demo itself was hailed as a 100% success within 3 days of going live. Our sincere thanks to BouleCoin CEO Claudio Perlini.
As a next stage to this demo process, from a government beta perspective, blockchain can progress into confirming the identity of individuals using citizen ID passports, replicating Switzerland’s city of Zug.
From the perspective of individuals creating their own future ID’s, there will be capability to incorporate Biometric Facial ID’s, using the same technology as the latest passport controls.
THE BLOCKCHAIN TRILOGY
It was wonderful earlier in 2017 to publish the first ever digital press article, for Scotland’s evolving blockchain democracy.
Written originally for Business for Scotland, it was met at the submission point with a request for simplification and explanation.
So, ‘Ultra-niche and Uber-cool White Hot Innovation’ initiated instead on the original version of Scotland’s brand new site for Digital Scotland News.
It was lovely to see the article being met there with flawless integrity, from a community who are already so well versed in blockchain and cryptography.
Scotland currently has a completely out-of-date democratic system, which is not fit for purpose in the 21st century. That much is clear.
And in all honesty, the technology is the least interesting part. Just moving voting online but keeping the same governance isn’t much progress really, we should leverage it to transform democracy entirely. It’s the 21st century, Scotland.
That first ever Scotland blockchain press article then led to the vision, of creating a blockchain trilogy for Business for Scotland, structured:
- Introducing blockchain democracy
- Academically-underpinning blockchain democracy
- First ever MP Q and A, considering how and when blockchain democracy can be fully introduced in Scotland.
TRILOGY PART 1 – published
How Blockchain technology can transform voting in Scotland
In conjunction with Business for Scotland. This was where blockchain democracy firstly met the capabilities of mainstream media. When ‘How Blockchain technology can transform voting in Scotland’ went live on the website of Scotland’s largest business campaigning network, it immediately started going worldwide viral. There were over 500 at source shares, which then accelerated with additional subsequent shares. On Facebook alone, the resultant algorithms delivered the top worldwide rankings for search terminology such as ‘Scotland, blockchain, technology, vote’ – amazing to see those rankings above bitcoin! Our sincere thanks to co-writer Tonie McKay, and Business for Scotland CEO Gordon MacIntyre-Kemp.
TRILOGY PART 2 – published
Quote: ‘This process takes an ingenious and unprecedented approach to now successfully achieve a previously unachieved feat’.
It was such an honour to attend the Informatics Event at Edinburgh University. Immediately upon arrival, we highlighted on twitter, that the word ‘blockchain’ wasn’t even on the event agenda.
Little did the 140 event attendees realise however, that we were about see some new blockchain history, with a series of presentations from professors and academics of the University’s Blockchain Technology Laboratory. These extended into a brand new level of vote security, with each digitalised vote assigned its own digital envelope! Yet another amazing invention from within Scotland!
In turn, Professor Aggelos Kiayias , as director of the blockchain laboratory, then agreed to help us by providing direct input into Trilogy Part 2, which then published on 9th January 2018.
Blockchain academics define a new future for democracy in Scotland
(We’re informed that one twentieth of the Business for Scotland site readers share the articles they read. That means, over 16,000 at source readers. What we don’t know is how many shares occurred in that much wider context, beyond the source shares).
TRILOGY PART 3 is now in progress.
How and when blockchain democracy can be fully introduced in Scotland? It was firstly very helpful to have met the Scottish government’s blockchain public infrastructure partner, Edinburgh’s Wallet Services – who had a quite incredible 2017. Many thanks to Stuart Fraser and Peter Ferry, and all best wishes ahead.
Responding to a generic twitter request, MP Martin Docherty-Hughes offered to become the first ever MP to work with us on the future article for Business for Scotland.
In examining the capabilities ahead, we will of course be requesting input from those who have previously involved. And we hopefully anticipate delivering that article as and when it is possible for MP Martin to set out the answers. Our extended thoughts on Part 3, in dialogue When will Scotland begin using blockchain e-voting?
In the interim, we can confirm that we are informed that Scotland’s MP’s have now formed a Westminster Blockchain Group.
AND ALSO IN THE MEANTIME:
SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT DELIVERS A PUBLIC CONSULTATION ON THE FUTURE OF VOTING. Noted, the document is missing two words, ‘blockchain’ and ‘cryptography’ … !!
If you are working within the world of digital, crypto, or blockchain, we suggest on the strongest possible terms that you’d be well advised to add your thoughts to the public consultation. It is, after all, your future.
Examples given (as alternatives to blockchain) include archaic and dodgy USA-style voting booth machines, which are now old and totally obsolete technology which has nothing to do with Blockchain. Luddite 2017 ignorance is hardly an inspiring ideal for an aspiring Scotland, is it?
Of very special note, and confirmed, Scotland is to get its own system for online ID assurance. So, Dear Scotland, this ID assurance is the keystone foundation, for all Digital Government functions, of which online voting could be one enabled service. Specifically, the integration with blockchain democracy could be enabled by spring 2019, perhaps earlier if fast-tracked.
Whilst blockchain already now has acceleration underway across the span of many aspects of future life in Scotland, we do not have any companies here in Scotland which are specifically working today, exclusively on developing a blockchain democracy platform.
In a wider context, there are numerous emerging worldwide developments from many blockchain democracy companies, all with globally-stated ambition.
After appraising the many global options in terms of blockchain democracy platform providers, Neil McEvoy of DigitalScotNews is of the opinion that MiVoteAus could very easily adapt their system capability, into what could become MiVote.Scot – so that domain has therefore already been registered.
Critically MiVote is totally neutral regarding the decisions made, conceptually speaking, “non-ideology ideology”. Votes avoid binary YES/No choices and instead engage voters into informed decisions, with research provided by leading academic and other subject matter experts.
Writing as at 6th Feb 2018, we’ve now been informed that MiVote founder Adam Jacoby and colleagues are flying over to Scotland next month, to proceed with enabling Scotland’s blockchain democracy platform, in technical terms. Our very best wishes to Adam, MiVote colleagues, Scotland’s project leader Neil McEvoy, and all involved with that exciting and innovative technical side, of enabling Scotland with blockchain democracy.
And let’s accelerate into 2018 by asking 4 questions:
- Would the academics of Edinburgh University’s Blockchain Technology Laboratory be willing to work with MiVoteAus, so as to now introduce the latest cutting edge of cryptography security, digital envelopes for digital votes … ?
- When would be a realistic timescale to expect blockchain democracy capability to actually be finalised and ready for use in Scotland, to the exacting and flawless standards of the blockchain academics?
- Blockchain democracy platforms will have great ability to peacefully resolve mass conflicts, in any society which respects computer literacy and democracy. Would the academics in Edinburgh’s Blockchain Laboratory wish to participate in the creation of blockchain vote platforms, especially designed to resolve mass conflicts, and help avoid future conflicts?
- In terms of future World Peace, do you agree that an organisation such as The Norwegian Nobel Committee, should be doing all possible to assist the global potentials of blockchain democracy?
Our twitter: @YesDayScotland is voluntarily operated, and is self-funded without any sponsorship. The centralised theme is, ‘how modern technology can peacefully resolve mass conflict’, please do join us for ongoing chat.
During 2017 we came to realise that actually, blockchain democracy is not restricted in these terms to voting, because the technology has such incredible potential to gradually re-define social systems. For Scotland, when (and if) Scots actually realise the value of their vote, that will initiate positive change.
Sincere gratitude to everyone who has provided input into the dream of seeing Scotland operating with revolutionised democracy.
As The Professor said, ‘Scotland can do this, and it can be exemplary’.
If we all keep driving forward with such hope and passion, we’ll surely get there soon.
All best wishes to one and all.
yesdayscotland 
Fantastic to see this getting off the ground, I can only hope this can be ready for a referendum by autumn this year.
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