Do you know about the mechanism called cookies? When viewing a website in a browser, your ID has already been filled in when you log in and all you have to do is enter your password, and even when you go to another site, advertisements from the site you visited before are displayed. , this is proof that cookies are working.
Cookies are a very convenient mechanism for viewing websites, but studies are underway in many places to regulate cookies. This time, we will explain the reasons for the cookie regulation and blockchain technology that may be used in new forms of advertising.
Cookies and Cookie Regulation
A cookie
is information that is temporarily stored on your personal device (computer or smartphone) by a website you visit. Cookies record various information such as the date and time you visited a website, the number of visits, ID, password, and email address. This information is stored on your personal device and can basically only be used by that website, but it is highly private information.
Cookies are a mechanism that can make websites more comfortable to browse if used correctly, but with the cabinet approval of the revised Personal Information Protection Act in March 2020, a movement to reconsider this has begun. The revised Act on the Protection of Personal Information includes stricter handling of personal information on web pages, and this is where the movement to regulate cookies is accelerating.
Movements to protect personal information, such as cookie regulations, are not limited to Japan. The protection of personal information is strict around the world, such as the “CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act)” that went into effect in the United States in 2020 and the “GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation)” that went into effect in Europe in 2018. It’s starting to become a reality.
What is blockchain technology?
For a while, crypto assets (virtual currencies) became a hot topic for their speculative characteristics. Famous examples include Bitcoin, Ethereum, and NEM, which became a hot topic after being leaked from exchanges due to cracking. Blockchain technology is the core technology of this crypto asset and has the following characteristics.
- Past transaction data (blocks) are recorded in a connected manner (chain)
- Transaction data is encrypted – There is no centralized administrator and it is operated in a decentralized manner
- Tampering with data is difficult (nearly impossible) as multiple computers on the network monitor transaction data
- Because it is a distributed system, system failures are less likely to occur.
Possibilities of blockchain technology application
Blockchain technology, which has the above characteristics, is said to be able to be used not only for crypto assets but also for a variety of other purposes. For example, the following usages are possible.
- contract
Taking advantage of the fact that information is difficult to falsify, it can be applied to “contract automation” called smart contracts. Multiple computers on the network monitor transactions, allowing for reliable contracts.
By taking advantage of the characteristics of blockchain technology, such as “transaction data encryption,” “difficult to tamper with information,” and “easy to trace transaction information,” blockchain technology can provide highly confidential and traceable information (who, when, and how). This allows you to manage your personal information (what the information was used for). In addition, blockchains that do not have a centralized administrator also reduce the risk of information leaks.
This can be used to protect personal information, as well as for identity verification and identification. In fact, the city of Busan in South Korea has incorporated an identity authentication system using blockchain technology into some of its administrative services. Until then, people had to show their ID in person, but now they have launched a system that allows them to authenticate their identity from their smartphones, making it possible to use government services without face-to-face or contact.
If blockchain technology is used in browsers, etc., it will be possible to protect personal information with a much higher level of security than traditional cookies. In the era of DX (digital transformation), where everything is digitally connected, innovative security such as blockchain technology is required, rather than traditional security technology.
summary
◆The movement to protect personal information is accelerating following the Cabinet decision on the revised Personal Information Protection Act in March 2020. This includes cookie regulations, etc., and the momentum for personal information protection is increasing around the world.
◆Blockchain technology was developed as a core technology for crypto assets (virtual currency), but it has the disadvantages of “high confidentiality (encryption),” “difficult to tamper with information,” “high traceability,” and “centralized It has the characteristic that there is no administrator, and can be used to strengthen the security of non-crypto assets.
◆By using blockchain technology in browsers, etc., it becomes possible to protect personal information at a much higher level of security than traditional cookies.
◆In the era of DX, where everything is connected digitally, innovative security such as blockchain technology is necessary.