Online ID Control: Blockchain Platforms vs. Governments and Facebook

By virtue of this basic framework, blockchain tech promises to place control over our data back in our hands, at a time when Facebook and other technology giants have been abusing and misusing it.

Control and privacy Alastair Johnson, CEO and founder of e-commerce and ID platform Nuggets, Johnson understands the pitfalls of storing masses of ID data in centralized siloes all too well.

"Today, the reality is that individuals do not control their personal data in any meaningful way. On average, a person has personal data - in the form of payment card details, home addresses, email addresses, passwords and other personal details - spread over roughly 100 online accounts. They can access this data but they do not own it."

By contrast, the use of blockchain tech grants newfound control to the user, who will be empowered to share their ID data only with the parties they approve.

In other words, a protocol for a suitable blockchain is created, users register their ID data on this blockchain, and then use their private keys to decrypt this data for chosen parties.

"Blockchain-based solutions flip this model on its head, so that individuals can store and control their data associated to a digital identity. It is not stored in the centralized databases of third party organizations, it can be stored on the blockchain in a decentralized network. With the individual controlling their data in this way, they are then in full control to ideally not have to share or store anything by using attestations, tokens or references and share it only if and when they choose to do so."

They'll be able to provide other platforms with ID attestations securely and quickly, all without having to reveal any of their data to the companies and services they use.

The idea of Facebook overhauling itself with a truly decentralized platform - where users keep their personal data a secret - is, well, frankly unthinkable, seeing as how the social network reaps billions in annual profit from selling our data to the highest bidder.

"The blockchain provides clear benefits for customers in terms of control over personal data and digital identities and I expect the public recognition of this to move from an early adopter cohort to an early majority in the near future," Johnson says.

"The 'Delete Facebook' movement is one sign of change, as is the continuing scrutiny that the tech giant is being put under by American and European authorities. People are starting to wake up to the fact that their personal data is valuable. Not only could blockchain help them to monetize it for themselves, it will also eradicate the kinds of costly personal data loses that I have experienced myself."