Don Tapscott Announces International Blockchain Research Institute – Nasdaq.com

The government of Canada, in partnership with other government bodies and private sector companies, is establishing a Blockchain Research Institute in Toronto to bring together the top minds in public and private sector research to build blockchain-based economies around the world.

Like the early days of the internet when defense and research agencies worked together to build the internet, the new foundation is hoping to engage researchers and companies that are willing to set aside their organizational biases and personal interests to develop the best possible models to go forward building a blockchain-based economy.

Don Tapscott, co-author of the bestselling book Blockchain Revolution, announced the new initiative yesterday at the DC Blockchain Summit hosted by the Chamber of Digital Commerce. Funding will be drawn from a joint public-private partnership involving governments and some of the world’s biggest corporations, as well as new blockchain startups.

More at: Don Tapscott Announces International Blockchain Research Institute – Nasdaq.com

The Trump Administration is Buying Into Blockchain Tech – CoinDesk

High-level US regulators and officials spoke out in favor of expanding the adoption of blockchain technology across government and the private sector at the DC Blockchain Summit, held this week in the nation’s capital.

There, representatives from the Trump administration, Congress and executive branch agencies acknowledged the potential of blockchain, and called for further development at the technology’s intersection with public policy. Specifically, they highlighted the technology’s potential to streamline bureaucracy, empower consumers and drive economic growth.

Notably, Mark Calabria, chief economist for Vice President Mike Pence, made an unscheduled presentation Wednesday to tell the gathering that the administration of the president is encouraged by developments in blockchain technology.

More at: The Trump Administration is Buying Into Blockchain Tech – CoinDesk

Ether trading overtakes Bitcoin » Brave New Coin

Trading in Ethereum’s digital currency, Ether (ETH), briefly surpassed bitcoin for the first time on Thursday afternoon. The trading preceded an eight percent price drop in Bitcoin, plunging from $1,222 down to $1,132 before recovering to $1,180 in the afternoon.

Ether has been trading at record highs over the past week. The “fuel” for Ethereum is up 23% today alone. On Thursday morning, around 9 AM Eastern Standard Time, the 24 hour trading volume totalled $424.9 million USD, while bitcoin’s was still at $383.7 million. Bitcoin’s trading volume has historically dwarfed Ethereum, and the “honeybadger” of crypto quickly regained it’s position.

More at: Ether trading overtakes Bitcoin » Brave New Coin

Illinois Government Unveils Expansive Blockchain Support Plan – CoinDesk

While much of the US is working to piece together a patchwork of blockchain regulations, Illinois unveiled a sweeping plan yesterday that would see the state implement blockchain solutions across multiple government agencies.

Revealed at the DC Blockchain Summit, hosted by the Chamber of Digital Commerce, the multi-agency, public-private partnership aims to connect much of the state’s infrastructure using a shared, distributed ledger.

Beyond just a play to streamline bureaucracy, the Illinois Blockchain Initiative’s plan is designed to turn the native home of derivatives and the center of the US mercantile exchange into a fountainhead from which other states might also work to adopt blockchain.

More at: Illinois Government Unveils Expansive Blockchain Support Plan – CoinDesk

Google’s DeepMind made ‘inexcusable’ errors handling UK health data, says report – The Verge

A new academic report examining a deal between Google’s AI subsidiary DeepMind and the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) has said that the US tech giant made “inexcusable” errors in terms of transparency and oversight when handling sensitive medical information.

The data sharing agreement — which was signed in 2015 and has since been superseded by a new contract — allows DeepMind access to medical records from 1.6 million patients attending London hospitals run by the NHS Royal Free Trust. Although at the time Google presented the deal as primarily about finding patients at risk from a condition known as acute kidney injury or AKI, the actual terms of the agreement, revealed in April 2016 by a New Scientist investigation, were more broad.

The report notes that DeepMind was given access not only to relevant blood tests and diagnostics, but historical medical records dating back five years including information on HIV diagnoses, drug overdoses, and abortions. The report also says the wording of the 2015 deal did not constrain the company from using AI analytical techniques on the data (something DeepMind disputes).

“I think it was a very flawed basis on which they originally operated,” Julia Powles, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Cambridge and a co-author of the report, told The Verge. “I’m pro data-driven health innovation, but I think that there are real questions of autonomy, public value, and competition that people ought to be looking at.”

More at: Google’s DeepMind made ‘inexcusable’ errors handling UK health data, says report – The Verge

Why Health Care Is Ripe for Digital Disruption – Brink – The Edge of Risk

Digital platforms are tools that allow networks of people to come together to connect, share information, and transact with each other. Whether the participants are friends and family, colleagues and mentors, buyers and sellers or doctors and patients, the digital platform allows these networks to interact with each other in ways beyond the physical world to make our lives easier and better. Once established, digital platforms can scale easily. And as they grow, they create increasing value for their participants.

Digital platforms are already disrupting markets broadly. Well-known examples include Airbnb, which is among the most valuable hoteliers but does not own a hotel; Uber, which has become more valuable than Ford and GM but does not manufacture or own a fleet of cars; Facebook, the world’s largest publisher with 1.7 billion writers who also act as editors; and Amazon, which is sailing past Walmart by focusing on e-commerce. These companies focus their investing on digital platforms rather than physical assets, and they use the technology, data and relationships of their networks to create exponentially more value than an analog organization ever could on its own. This “network effect” has led to the emergence of new business and mental models.

The health care industry—specifically medical care—is not impervious to these new business models. It has long been insulated from disruption due to the intricacies of navigating opaque billing systems, the deification of doctors, regulations that suppress competition, and other factors. But now, change is coming about. Silicon Valley has been funding a number of startups that are disrupting parts of the industry—and more are likely to come.

More at: Why Health Care Is Ripe for Digital Disruption – Brink – The Edge of Risk

Congress Takes Blockchain 101 – MIT Technology Review

The heads of the Congressional Blockchain Caucus want their colleagues to know the technology has many uses besides currency.

by Mike Orcutt March 15, 2017

Congressman David Schweikert is determined to enlighten his colleagues in Washington about the blockchain. The opportunities the technology creates for society are vast, he says, and right now education is key to keeping the government from “screwing it up.”

Schweikert, a Republican from Arizona, co-chairs the recently launched Congressional Blockchain Caucus. He and fellow co-chair, Democratic Representative Jared Polis of Colorado, say they created it in response to increasing interest and curiosity on Capitol Hill about blockchain technology. “Members of Congress are starting to get visits from people that are doing things with the blockchain and talking about it,” says Polis. “They are interested in learning more, and we hope to provide the forum to do that.”

More at: Congress Takes Blockchain 101 – MIT Technology Review

How are governments using blockchain technology? | eGOV | Enterprise Innovation

Government organizations across the globe are exploring the use of blockchain technology to improve operations. The ability to record transactions on distributed ledgers offers new approaches for governments to improve transparency, prevent fraud and establish trust. We take a look at how governments around the world are taking the first steps in adopting distributed ledger technology with various blockchain initiatives and pilot projects.

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Estonia – Blockchain identity management, e-voting, electronic health records

Estonia is considered to be a leading nation in the adoption of blockchain technology. Estonia citizens and e-residents are issued a cryptographically secure digital ID card powered by blockchain infrastructure on the backend, allowing access to various public services. On a blockchain platform, citizens can verify the integrity of the records held on them in government databases and control who has access to them. Earlier this year, Nasdaq successfully completed a trial in Estonia that will enable company shareholders to use a blockchain voting system.

Estonia is also adopting blockchain technology to secure the country’s 1 million health records. Every update and access to healthcare records is registered on the blockchain, preventing medical fraud and making it impossible for hackers to hide their trail. It also provides real-time alerts to attacks, enabling the government to respond to incidents immediately before large-scale damages occur.

More at: How are governments using blockchain technology? | eGOV | Enterprise Innovation

These New Innovations Will Change Debt Collection, One Way or the Other – insideARM

A recent blog post from the Federal Trade Commission warns consumers of the latest government imposter scam. The bottom line? They say, if the caller asks for personal information, hang up. This is really good advice if indeed the caller is a scammer. However it also puts another barrier in front of an already difficult-to-bridge conversation between a consumer and a legitimate debt collector.

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Interestingly, on the same exact day the FTC posted the blog described above, the agency also held its third FinTech forum (it was quite interesting, by the way) – this one focusing on artificial intelligence and blockchain. These technologies may just hold the future keys to that awkward introductory debt collection dance. From the FTC’s announcement on the forum:

Artificial intelligence focuses on the capability for machines to mimic human thinking or actions, including learning and problem solving. The technology may be used, for example, to provide personalized financial services for consumers, including providing money management tools.

Blockchain technology involves a distributed digital ledger for recording transactions that can be shared widely. It first emerged as the foundation for digital currency, and it is now being explored for other consumer-focused uses including payment systems and “smart contracts.”

The half-day event is designed to bring together industry participants, consumer groups, researchers, and government representatives, to examine the ways in which these technologies are being used to offer consumers services, the potential benefits, and consumer protection implications as these technologies continue to develop.

More at: These New Innovations Will Change Debt Collection, One Way or the Other – insideARM

Blockchain Technology Cuts Through the Hurdles to Simplify Everyone’s Lives – TheNational.AE

The UAE is heavily involved in the promotion of Blockchain technology.

Firstly the Global Blockchain Council was set up by the Dubai Futures Accelerator comprising well-known players such as Etisalat, Emirates NBD, du, Dubai Multi Commodities Centre, IBM and Microsoft. This has evolved and attracted start-ups using Blockchain technology such as BitOasis and Loyyal. As the council has grown, so has the work its members have been doing in proving the technology works.

In one recent initiative, the DMCC teamed up with BitOasis, a domestic Bitcoin exchange, to develop a Proof-of-Concept replicating the DMCC Business Centre to secure flexible tenancy contracts and registration processes on Blockchain. Although very specific in nature, this in theory could be rolled out to encompass similar concepts within the rental sphere, including property, cars and electronic equipment.

More at: Blockchain Technology Cuts Through the Hurdles to Simplify Everyone’s Lives – TheNational.AE