Scotland to Launch World’s First Blockchain Identity Laboratory

Edinburg, Scotland has finally launched the world’s first identity research laboratory that will work with advanced blockchain research facilities in Europe, according to The Scotsman reports. It is Blockpass Identity Lab, which dedicatedly works as a blockchain research institute that focuses on the exploration of blockchain technology and how it can be applied to protect personal information online.

The laboratory is at Edinburgh Napier University and is a result of partnership collaboration between the identity application firm, Blockpass IDN based in Hong Kong and the University, and a part of £600,000 deal.

According to The Scotsman, the main purpose of this research facility is to bring out a dedicated laboratory that works exclusively for protecting and preserving the personal data that is stored online, with the use of blockchain initiatives and prospects.

The facility is working to be a place that helps in challenging the current criteria that revolve around storing data online about personal identity. They will also have to reinforce new structures of data which will strategize individual’s rights, privacy, and consent over the information, which lacks in the current data holding. The funding will help provide staff that will work for research to create a “virtualized blockchain environment.”

Kate Forbes, Scottish Minister for Digital Economy, believes that the work of exploring the blockchain technology can protect online hackers and scammers from interfering in one’s data. This [exciting] work is carrying the tradition of excellence and innovation gathering from blockchain for years and will continue to do so, with new and advanced technologies.

There will be a certain start to these activities driven by blockchain by the research lab as they are promoting it with a series of events and a conference which will discuss digital identity, the blockchain, and advanced cryptography.

There will also be a ‘hackathon’ event where participants develop prototype apps focusing on several genres of blockchain and digital identity, such as distributed ledger technologies.

It was back in April, when Hans Lombardo, Blockpass’ chief marketing officer, launched the idea of this plan and as a proof cited many scandals devoted to an online security breach and the risks that come with online personal data storage sensitivity on a centralized platform.