The Interplay of Blockchain Technologies and Data Protection

Abstract

The new technological infrastructures such as blockchain cause challenges in respect of compliance with the continuously stronger data protection principles around the world. Particularly the relatively strict data privacy provisions in Europe have a substantive impact on blockchain business models. This contribution analyses the manifold (but mostly not unsurmountable) tensions caused by blockchain characteristics to data protection objectives and outlines to what extent distributed ledgers can also serve as privacy-enhancing tools.