The Crypto-democracy and the Trustworthy

TL;DR

This paper proposes a crypto-democracy model using cryptographic techniques to decentralize personal data storage and processing, reducing trust in single entities and enhancing privacy.

Contribution

It introduces a novel crypto-democracy framework leveraging secure multiparty computation and provides a practical proof-of-concept with universities as institutions.

Findings

Cryptographic primitives can effectively protect privacy with minimal trust assumptions.

A proof-of-concept demonstrates the feasibility of the crypto-democracy model.

Decentralized data management enhances privacy and trust in digital ecosystems.

Abstract

In the current architecture of the Internet, there is a strong asymmetry in terms of power between the entities that gather and process personal data (e.g., major Internet companies, telecom operators, cloud providers, ...) and the individuals from which this personal data is issued. In particular, individuals have no choice but to blindly trust that these entities will respect their privacy and protect their personal data. In this position paper, we address this issue by proposing an utopian crypto-democracy model based on existing scientific achievements from the field of cryptography. More precisely, our main objective is to show that cryptographic primitives, including in particular secure multiparty computation, offer a practical solution to protect privacy while minimizing the trust assumptions. In the crypto-democracy envisioned, individuals do not have to trust a single physical entity with their personal data but rather their data is distributed among several institutions. Together these institutions form a virtual entity called the Trustworthy that is responsible for the storage of this data but which can also compute on it (provided first that all the institutions agree on this). Finally, we also propose a realistic proof-of-concept of the Trustworthy, in which the roles of institutions are played by universities. This proof-of-concept would have an important impact in demonstrating the possibilities offered by the crypto-democracy paradigm.