Design and Implementation of a Blockchain-based Consent Management System

Abstract

A blockchain is a distributed ledger forming a distributed consensus on a\nhistory of transactions. It is the underlying technology for the Bitcoin\ncryptocurrency, but there are many applications beyond the financial sector.\nWith built-in security and removal of the need for third party trust,\nblockchain has started to see some use within contract applications among other\nthings. In this paper, we present the design and implementation of a\npermissioned-based blockchain third party consent management system, whose\npolicy can be decided by a government agency. We have constructed a proof of\nconcept implementation using Hyperledger Fabric to provide a service that\nallows end-users to control and consent to who manages their private\ninformation. We believe our solution meets the guiding principles of EU General\nData Protection Regulation or GDPR. While our performance and usability\nevaluation are limited, our solution design and its implementation meet the 7\nfoundational principles of privacy by design.\n