Blockchain-based whistleblowing service to solve the problem of journalistic conflict of interest

【Author】 Tomaz, Antonio Emerson B.; Nascimento, Jose Claudio do; de Souza, Jose Neuman

【Source】ANNALS OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

【影响因子】1.901

【Abstract】Whistleblowing through newspapers is common. However, the whistleblower may face some problems if the anonymous whistleblowing channel, usually maintained by journalistic organizations, is not reliable. The first problem is the conflict of interest when the whistleblowing involves commercial or political partners of the journalistic organization. The second problem is that, in conflict situations, the whistleblower's anonymity can be unduly violated. To resolve these issues, we present a blockchain-based anonymous whistleblowing service. Our approach includes a cryptographic scheme based on a ring signature to ensure the whistleblower's anonymity and, at the same time, give him/her the possibility to prove that he/she is the author of the whistleblowing in the future. Through game theory, we model two scenarios involving anonymous whistleblowing: the first is unfavorable to the whistleblower, and the second is quite favorable. We show that the whistleblowing channel proposed here, exploring blockchain's properties and the reliability of ring signatures, creates favorable conditions for the whistleblower to feel motivated to disclose the whistleblowing.

【Keywords】Blockchain; Conflict of interest; Whistleblowing; Ring signature; Anonymity; Game theory

【发表时间】2021

【收录时间】2022-01-02

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