Session
Birds of a Feather - Classroom - 60 Min
This session will bring together people interested in whether or not blockchain technology, including Centrally-banked Digital Currencies (CBDCs), offer a new kind of financial freedom or are new traps for surveillance and control.
The questions to be discussed include the current state of financial surveillance by SWIFT and the dominance of US-based institutions, issues on the network level with privacy in WiFi and cable, alternative blockchain solutions and their relative lack of maturity, as well as the possibility that new CBDCs and mobile technology could provide even more financial surveillance and control than existing solutions. New routes to privacy-preserving CBDCs and financial autonomy led by the global south will be discussed as well.
We will livestream a discussion with online participants with a question and answer session.
Nym
Andres Arauz (UNAM, Mexico) Latin American and Caribbean Group Harry Halpin (Nym Technologies, Switzerland), Private Sector, Western European and Others Amelia Andersdotter (Sky, UK) Private Sector, Western European and Others
Andres Arauz (UNAM, Mexico) Latin American and Caribbean Group Renata Avila (Open Knowledge Foundation, Guatemala) Latin American and Caribbean Group Iness Ben Guirat (KU Leuven, Tunisia) African Group, Technical Community Harry Halpin (Nym Technologies, Switzerland), Private Sector, Western European and Others Amelia Andersdotter (Sky, UK) Private Sector, Western European and Others
Harry Halpin
Amelia Andersdotter
Andres Arauz
1. No Poverty
7. Affordable and Clean Energy
10. Reduced Inequalities
Targets: Financial technology's availability in the Global South has been thought of as key to "No Poverty" and "Reducing inequalty"). Blockchains are often criticized due to "proof of work" of not being environmentally friendly in terms of "affordable and clean energy", although there are counter-arguments such as "proof of stake" systems or utilizing proof of work on renewable features.