As cities become more digitally governed, centralized infrastructures face growing risks across identity, safety, and data domains. This chapter reframes blockchain as a foundational trust protocol for urban resilience, emphasizing its core features: immutability, decentralization, transparency, and consensus, as tools to address systemic privacy and security challenges. It explores blockchain's role in securing digital identities, logging infrastructure events, and enabling auditable governance. Real-world deployments in land registries, voting, procurement, and incident response, especially in Asia and Europe are analyzed. Privacy-preserving techniques like zero-knowledge proofs and decentralized identity are also examined. The chapter highlights integration hurdles such as interoperability, regulatory gaps, and ethical tensions, while outlining emerging trends like Blockchain 4.0, quantum-safe cryptography, and DAO-led civic participation. It offers a roadmap for decentralized citizen-centric governance in smart cities.
Kriptovalute su vrsta digitalnog novca koji ima sve osobine prave valute, osim što iza njih ne stoji država i središnja banka neke zemlje. Djeluje na osnovi kriptografskih algoritama i postoji samo u elektronskom obliku. Koristeći kriptografiju osigurava sigurnost transakcija, kontrole stvaranja dodatnih novčanih jedinica i potvrđuje transfer valute. Koriste se zbog sigurnosti i privatnosti podataka. Imaju potencijal da zamjene trenutni novčani sustav u svijetu, jer broj korisnika kriptovaluta naglo raste, hakiranje računa je teško, nitko ne može promjeniti količinu novčića koji se koriste, ne plaća se održavanje računa, te nije kontroliran od nikoga, odnosno koristi princip decentralizacije. Postoje i rizici koje nose kriptovalute i nisu još uvijek podobni za korištenje poduzetnicima. Kriptovalute mogu se koristiti i u Turizmu i to u svakom području turističkog tržišta.
Kampanje javnog prikupljanja sredstava sve su češći način financiranja novih projekata, no dolaze uz otvorena pitanja oko pouzdanosti sudionika i sigurnosti prikupljenih sredstava. Postojanje okruženja u kojem bi ispravno i sigurno funkcioniranje prikupljanja i povrata sredstava bilo garantirano, pogodovalo bi povećanju popularnosti ovog načina financiranja, povećalo interes potencijalnih donatora i ohrabrilo pokretače novih projekata. Tehnologija blok-lanca stvorila je okruženje za nastanak decentraliziranih kriptovaluta, omogućivši obavljanje transakcija bez uključivanja treće strane kao centralnog autoriteta kojemu se vjeruje. Platforma Ethereum, bazirana na tehnologiji blok-lanca, u takvom okruženju u kojem nema potrebe za vjerovanjem trećoj strani, omogućuje definiranje pametnih ugovora koji mogu sadržavati proizvoljnu logiku i pravila za vlasništvo, transakcije i ostalo. Korištenjem pametnih ugovora platforme Ethereum, razvijeno je rješenje za decentralizirano prikupljanje sredstava, uz proširenja koja donatorima pružaju određenu kontrolu nad trošenjem prikupljenih sredstava, kao i mogućnost prekida projekta uz osiguran povratak preostalih sredstava.
Rohith P. George, Brad L. Peterson, Oliver Yaros, David L. Beam · 6 authors
Purpose To introduce blockchain in simple terms for business lawyers to be able to spot the right issues and ask the right questions. Design/methodology/approach This article provides an overview of blockchain, identifies two example use cases, and highlights some of the most pressing legal issues, including issues to address in on-chain programming, off-chain agreements and other issues when determining whether to implement a blockchain solution. Findings This article concludes that there has been a significant growth in investment and interest in blockchain. Numerous companies across different sectors have developed blockchain proof-of-concepts, with some heading towards production deployments. At this point, commercial blockchain is largely in the pilot or proof-of-concept stage across a wide range of use cases, with payments and supply chain being two of the most promising use cases. This article also identifies possible legal issues associated with blockchain. Practical implications Despite the growing interest in blockchain, it is still a novel topic to many business lawyers. It is very important that lawyers are able to identify the right issues and ask the right questions. Originality/value Practical guidance from experienced lawyers in the Technology Transactions and Financial Services Regulatory & Enforcement practices.
The anonymous and decentralized nature of cryptocurrencies has turned them into a powerful weapon in the cyberarsenal of national and international criminal groups by facilitating their illicit activities while evading prosecution. However, despite the numerous challenges that the international law enforcement community faces when investigating cryptocurrencies, a number of investigation opportunities do exist.
Scanning of museum specimens has taken off. Using 3-D computed tomography (CT), specimens are scanned and, along with underlying digital data, are stored in online repositories, such as Digimorph, MorphoSource, iDigBio, and others. The material is made publicly available. But a host of legal questions have emerged, including ownership of scans, data, and the ability (or lack thereof) to copyright them. Do the people in possession of the specimen own it, and do they have permission to distribute the specimen for scanning? Who claims the rights to the digital data? Does a contract between the owning institution and the source of the specimen affect its digital reproduction and distribution? Tim White, director of collections and research, Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History, notes: “…researchers will borrow something and then realize [they] want to have these specimens scanned…often at a third-party institution and the museum may only find out after the fact.” Does Yale own the specimen or is it on loan? Is there shared ownership by a written agreement? Who scanned the specimen—the borrowing institution or another organization that owns scanning equipment? According to David Bloom of VertNet, a National Science Foundation funded project, the loaning institution owns or manages the specimen, although the scan belongs to the borrower. Intellectual property attorney and former museum curator Amanda Nelson warns that it is not so simple. In the Yale example, much depends on the paperwork between the loaner and borrower. To avoid misunderstandings, Dirk Neumann of the Bavarian Natural History Collection, suggests the owner add “a specific section on the loan form that the borrower cannot get copyright ownership in his imaging but may use the images for his research purpose, so that there is a written proof of the borrower that he is author of the images but waives his copyright.” Doug Boyer, of Duke University and founder of the MorphoSource 3-D data and imagery repository, explains that museums have release forms that state what can be done with the specimen and may include a third-party clause that limits rights to distribute the data. In the United States, unlike in most European countries, medical scans cannot be copyrighted, as the copyright office does not judge them to have creative input. But Boyer suggests organizations assert copyright for their 3-D scans, many of which are derivative, posted in online repositories. Prepping and scanning a specimen for research involves value judgments and creativity to emphasize certain parts of its anatomy. Boyer thinks copyright should be applicable to research scans: “There's no question that at least the derivative images are copyrightable.” As attorney Nelson notes, “The bar for creativity has been set so low, sometimes just merely changing [or adding] colors…is a creative choice.” Patent attorney Sarita Pickett, of Mesmer & Deleault, explains that technology has changed so quickly “the laws have not always had time to catch up….” Copyright “clerks are unlikely to have the experience necessary to recognize when additional design elements are involved in activities that were previously entirely technological,” says Pickett. Part of the problem is how scientists describe their scans. Scientists put creative thought into designing and coloring a scan, “but when they describe what they did, they don’t use creative terms, leaning too heavily on the functionality aspect [showing frog bones]—as might be appreciated by another scientist.” To Boyer's knowledge, no scientists have registered copyright of their CT scans, but the MorphoSource group encourages researchers to assert copyright and ownership of their scans. The copyright issue will likely be determined in the courts, he added. A network of US-based museums and working groups is devising best practices and guidelines for archiving and sharing 3D data, and Boyer is optimistic that this will help museums share their collections globally. Data, too, are an issue. Nelson says, generally “data can’t be copyrighted.” Identifying tags on a specimen “cannot be copyrighted because that's information; that's fact.” The basis for this policy is that sharing the data is “for the benefit of society [as] a whole” for research and study. Some institutions want to maintain the open availability of data, although others want to limit what can be done with the data. The Creative Commons licensing mechanism can leave data or scans open to all, limit use, or claim copyright worldwide. Most data put online are for noncommercial use. But, warns Nelson Rios of Yale Peabody, “There's absolutely zero enforcement behind any of that…it's too complicated to pursue; also it's too expensive.” No matter what, Amanda Nelson points to the value of paperwork: “At the end of the day, it's who signed what and what does it say.” Myrna E. Watanabe (mewatanabeconsulting@gmail.com) is a science and grant writer in Patterson, New York.
The paper proposes a legal definition of the notions of blockchain and smart contract from the point of view of the intellectual property right.Therefore, this research brings to light the effects of new technology on the positive law and, above all, on the notion of contract.By applying the blockchain technique, the parties optimize costs and significantly reduce the time needed to produce legal effects, particularly by eliminating third parties.However, this technique creates a real series of legal issues that already give jurists the opportunity to develop new theories of law by finding solutions to them.
This article presents a new method for managing digital reuse rights of research data, which leverages technologies such as the blockchain and smart contracts. This allows, on one hand, the creation of a permanent record on the agreements between the authors of the data and the reusers, with the possibility of verifying compliance at any time, and on the other hand, a higher level of granularity on defining the conditions of reuse. A practical implementation of such a workflow using the Solidity smart contract language is included, along with a brief analysis over the Ethereum blockchain network.
New technologies such as Big Data, blockchain, machine learning, and text-mining have made it to the legal world, simplifying all phases of the dispute resolution process. Arbitration and these new technologies share a mutually beneficial relationship. On the one hand, new technologies will improve efficiency, cut costs, promote the expansion of arbitration into new segments of the market, and improve outcomes for clients. On the other hand, the proliferation of new technologies will inevitably generate disputes that arbitration is best-suited to resolve. For example, although self-execution limits certain litigation risks concerning the performance of smart contracts, conflicts regarding their definition, interpretation, and general framework are likely to arise. The delocalized nature of the arbitral regime, the flexibility of proceedings, and the straightforward enforcement of awards are key features that make arbitration the optimal dispute resolution mechanism for new technology disputes. New technologies can thus reinforce arbitral proceedings, and arbitration can provide insurance to these emerging practices – these reciprocal benefits should be exploited.
In 2018, someone hiding behind the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto created Bitcoin, the first decentralized cryptocurrency operating without a central bank or authority. However, the true revolution seems to be its underlying technology; blockchain. Today, a lot of discussion is taking place around the legal issues of this nascent technology. This paper focuses on blockchain and the law. After exploring blockchain’s basic features, it will propose an international regulatory framework suitable for this technology’s characteristics and its borderless nature.
The paper discusses cryptocurrencies both in terms of their applicability to everyday financial transactions as well as in terms of criminogenic factors. The Authors will present practical ways to settle in virtual currency, institutions in which bitcoin payments can be made and the possibility of converting them into traditional currencies. Also factors conducive to combine cryptocurrencies with the criminal world, such as the anonymity of both the Internet and cryptocurrencies will be analysed. In addition, the paper presents the real impact of cryptocurrencies on the increase in crime worldwide, both related to financing of terrorism and in connection with taxation of income. The data and conclusions contained in this study are a contribution to the discussion on the sense of investing in cryptocurrencies, and above all on the opportunities and threats that entail the widespread introduction of this method of payment.
blockchain-the-invisible-technology-thats-changing-the-wor [https://perma.cc/59QL-QDLJ](providing an introduction to the structure and usage of blockchain technology
We describe our efforts towards building a tool that automatically verify high-level functional properties of Ethereum smart contracts against its formal specification that can be given using four different methods: an invariant over contract state or three different types of trace properties. A model of runtime system, the source code of smart contract together with its specification is translated into SMT-solver formula and checked for counter example. We tested the method on simplified version of notorious TheDAO smart-contract, called MiniDAO. Our proof-of-concept tool was able to find a functional property violation of MiniDAO in just several seconds. We believe that the proposed method is indeed useful and deserves deeper investigation.
Iria Giuffrida, Fredric I. Lederer, Nicolas Vermeys
first met when we, along with Ed Imwinkelried and Fran Gilligan, were colleagues on the faculty of what today is The Judge Advocate General's School and Legal Center.We