Is Blockchain the key to effective e-government?

Blockchain is a technology that is transforming the world and revolutionizing how people exchange money, goods and ideas. There are also many ways in which it can revolutionize government.

Blockchain creates trust between two parties who do not know or trust each other by providing proof of ownership for digital assets in the form of cryptographic keys. This tamper-proof system makes it ideal for handling sensitive data.

E-government is the use of electronic communication to provide public services to citizens and businesses. It is a convenient way for government agencies to provide services online, and it can make it easier for citizens to access public services.

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However, e-government systems are often complex, resulting in slow and cumbersome services. They are also vulnerable to hacking and data breaches. Blockchain can help e-government systems solve these problems, making them more efficient and secure.

Blockchain can make e-administration more efficient in a number of ways:

1. By automating processes

Smart contracts can automate e-government processes such as performance requirements and tax returns. Smart contracts are self-executing contracts that use blockchain technology to function. This means that they can automatically confirm and enforce the terms of the contract.

This can save government agencies a lot of time and money by removing the need to process claims or applications manually. It will also reduce the risk of human error.

2. By improving security

Blockchain can help improve the security of e-government systems in a number of ways. It can make data more tamper-proof and help secure communication between public agencies and citizens.

In addition, it can be used to create digital identities that cannot be forged. This will be particularly useful for public services that require identity verification, such as passport applications or voting.

3. By reducing costs

Blockchain can also reduce the costs of e-government. For example, it can be used to create a single, tamper-proof database of all public records, eliminating the need for duplicate records, which will save time and money.

Blockchain can also streamline the process of issuing passports. Currently, each country has its own passport issuing system, which is costly and inefficient. However, if every country used a blockchain-based system, issuing passports would be much cheaper and easier.

4. By increasing transparency

Blockchain can also help increase transparency in e-government. For example, it could be used to create a public registry of all government contracts, making it easier for citizens to hold their government accountable.

It can also track how government money is spent. This will help detect and prevent corruption.

5. By empowering citizens

Blockchain can empower citizens by giving them more control over their personal data. For example, someone could use blockchain to create a digital identity, which would then be used to access public services.

They can also use blockchain to store and manage their personal data (eg health records and tax returns) and to create a secure online voting system.

6. By improving the interaction between public agencies

Blockchain can also improve interactions between government agencies. For example, if it is used to create a shared database of all government contracts, agencies will have a much easier time finding and managing contracts.

Using blockchain to create a shared government records database will make it easier for different agencies to access and share data.

7. By creating a single source of truth

Blockchain can also help create a single source of truth for government data. If it is used to create a tamper-proof registry of all public contracts, for example, it will be much more difficult for a corrupt public official to change or delete a contract stored on a blockchain.

8. By improving cooperation

Blockchain can also facilitate and improve collaboration between government agencies. For example, creating a shared database of all public records would make it easier for agencies to access and share data.

Let’s say a natural disaster strikes a city. The police, fire and hospital must all have access to the same data to coordinate their responses. However, if each agency uses its own separate database, it will be very difficult to share data quickly and accurately. But if they all use a blockchain-based system, it would be much easier to share data and coordinate their responses.

9. By improving cyber security

Blockchain can play a role in improving cyber security for e-government. It would be much more difficult for hackers to change or delete contracts thanks to the blockchain’s tamper-proof registry of all public contracts.

It can also be used to create a digital identification system for government employees, making it much harder for hackers to impersonate them.

10. By improving access to public services

Blockchain can also help improve access to public services. For example, it can be used to create digital identities that citizens can use to access public services.

Even if a citizen does not have a physical ID, they will still be able to access public services thanks to their digital ID on a blockchain.

Conclusion

Blockchain has the potential to transform e-government in terms of efficiency, transparency and security. It can also empower citizens and improve interaction between public agencies. However, it is important to note that blockchain technology is still in its early stages and there are many challenges to address before it can be widely adopted. Nevertheless, blockchain’s potential e-government applications are very exciting and worth exploring further.

Olga V. Mack is the CEO of Parley Pro, a next-generation contract management company that has pioneered online negotiation technology. Olga embraces legal innovation and had dedicated her career to improving and shaping the law of the future. She is convinced that the legal profession will appear even stronger, more robust and more inclusive than before by embracing technology. Olga is also an award-winning general counsel, operations expert, start-up advisor, public speaker, assistant professor and entrepreneur. She founded Women serve on boards movement that advocates for women to participate on corporate boards of Fortune 500 companies. She authored Get on board: Get your ticket to a corporate seat and Basics of Smart Contract Security. You can follow Olga on Twitter @olgavmack.