ETHICAL GUIDELINES FOR BLOCKCHAIN SYSTEMS

2023 | European Conference On Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Agerskov, Signe; Pedersen, Asger; Beck, Roman

Abstract: Enterprise architects and IT systems developers must often decide ad hoc how to ... Expand

Abstract: Enterprise architects and IT systems developers must often decide ad hoc how to identify, assess and mitigate ethical issues of autonomous, rule-based systems based on blockchain technology. As blockchain systems are decentralized and immutable, developers must assess ethical risks, not only on an individual level but also on a network level along the life-cycle stages of a blockchain system. These ethical issues should be addressed and ideally mitigated by clearly defined norms and values that are intentionally incorporated in a blockchain system. As a reference for a normative system, we have chosen the European Union and its ethical values to discuss them in the context of ethical issues emerging from blockchain systems. This paper presents a top-down approach that establishes ethical guidelines for blockchain systems based on ethical issues mapped against European values. Collapse

Topics: blockchain smart contract data encryption privacy supply chain management

Methods: literature sample literature study case study computational algorithm triangulation

Blockchain Use Case in Ballistics and Crime Gun Tracing and Intelligence: Toward Overcoming Gun Violence

2023 | ACM Transactions on Management Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Akello, Patricia; Vemprala, Naga; Lang Beebe, Nicole; Raymond Choo, Kim-Kwang

Abstract: In the United States and around the world, gun violence has become a long-standi ... Expand

Abstract: In the United States and around the world, gun violence has become a long-standing public safety concern and a security threat, due to violent gun-related crimes, injuries, and fatalities. Although legislators and lawmakers have attempted to mitigate its threats through legislation, research on gun violence confirms the need for a comprehensive approach to gun violence prevention. This entails addressing the problem in as many ways as possible, such as through legislation, new technological advancements, re-engineering supply, and administrative protocols, among others. The research focuses on the technological, supply, and administrative aspects, in which we propose a manner of managing gun-related data efficiently from the point of manufacture/sale, as well as at points of transfers between secondary sellers for the improvement of criminal investigation processes. Making data more readily available with greater integrity will facilitate successful investigations and prosecutions of gun crimes. Currently, there is no single and uniform platform for firearm manufacturers, dealers, and other stakeholders involved in firearm sales, dissemination, management, and investigation. With the help of Blockchain technology, gun registry, ownership, transfers, and, most importantly, investigations, when crimes occur, can all be managed efficiently, breaking the cycle of gun violence. The identification of guns, gun tracing, and identification of gun owners/possessors rely on accuracy, integrity, and consistency in related systems to influence gun crime investigation processes. Blockchain technology, which uses a consensus-based approach to improve processes and transactions, is demonstrated in this study as a way to enhance these procedures. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to explore and demonstrate the utility of Blockchain for gun-related criminal investigations using a design science approach. Collapse

Topics: blockchain criminality smart contract Ethereum access control

Methods: design artifact design science design process case study simulation

Blockchain innovation for consent self-management in health information exchanges

2023 | Decision Support Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Anderson, Chad; Carvalho, Arthur; Kaul, Mala; Merhout, Jeffrey W.

Abstract: With the increasing digitalization of health data, patients need to make informe ... Expand

Abstract: With the increasing digitalization of health data, patients need to make informed decisions about the online sharing of their protected health information. This necessitates a robust technical infrastructure that enables patients to self-manage consent and the trusted exchange of this information across sharing entities. Unfortu­ nately, current health information exchange systems in the U.S. are limited in both these regards. While there is recent work on digital patient consent management, there is limited work that provides effective solutions for patient self-management of consent. Further, interoperability issues in the way health information exchanges are currently architected and differences in regulations across localities exacerbate the challenges of consent man­ agement. In this research, we survey potential patients' willingness to self-manage healthcare-related consent. Having established the desire for consent self-management, we propose a solution that enables the seamless sharing of patient consent across different healthcare providers and health information exchanges. Specifically, we use a rigorous design science approach to create a blockchain-based, self-managed patient consent system and we evaluate the design through an instantiated prototype. The results of our study should be useful to researchers in healthcare information management as well as to practitioners designing consent management systems. Our research contributes to design science research with an innovative, rigorously evaluated, design principles-based artifact that addresses a critical problem of sharing protected health information. Collapse

Topics: blockchain mobile application information exchange privacy Ethereum

Methods: survey design artifact design science design process design principle

Theories: evidence-based design

Beyond a Fistful of Tumblers: Toward a Taxonomy of Ethereum-based Mixers

2023 | International Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Barbereau, Tom; Ermolaev, Egor; Brennecke, Martin; Hartwich, Eduard; Sedlmeir, Johannes

Abstract: The role played by decentralised services in the obfuscation of crypto-asset tr ... Expand

Abstract: The role played by decentralised services in the obfuscation of crypto-asset transactions performed on transparent blockchains has increasingly captured the attention of regulators. This is exemplified by the headlines about the U.S. Treasury's sanctions on the Ethereum-based mixer Tornado Cash. Yet, despite the existing controversies on the use of mixers, the different functionalities of these information systems with an inherent dark side remain to be explored by the literature. So far, contributions primarily encompass technical works and studies that focus on the Bitcoin ecosystem. This paper puts forward a multi-layer taxonomy of the smart-contract-based -and, therefore, functionally richer -family of mixers on Ethereum. Our proposed taxonomy is grounded on (1) a review of existing literature, (2) an analysis of mixers' project documentation, (3) their corresponding smart contracts, and (4) expert interviews. Our evaluation included the application of the taxonomy to two mixers -RAILGUN and zkBob. The taxonomy represents a valuable tool for law enforcement, regulators, and other stakeholders to explore critical properties affecting compliance and use of Ethereum-based mixers. Collapse

Topics: Ethereum smart contract cryptoasset blockchain user experience

Methods: qualitative interview theoretical contribution mixed method

Facilitating interorganizational trust in strategic alliances by leveraging blockchain-based systems: Case studies of two eastern banks

2023 | International Journal of Information Management | Citations: 0

Authors: Chen, Renee Rui; Chen, Kun; Ou, Carol X.J.

Abstract: Strategic alliances require mutual trust and collaboration between organizations ... Expand

Abstract: Strategic alliances require mutual trust and collaboration between organizations. To increase alliance perfor­ mance, organizations in a strategic alliance are more likely to interpret each other’s equivocal behaviors in a positive way to sustain the stability of the relationship. Different from traditional mechanisms to build inter­ organizational trust, blockchain facilitates trust among alliance partners via its technology advantages, for example, public ledger and distributed consensus. The decentralized and distributed nature of a blockchainbased system assures that no single organization can add information to the chain without an approval from the alliance, nor can it make unilateral changes in the system. Drawing from the Affordance Theory, we propose an exploratory research design to understand the structure of a blockchain-based system, as well as how this blockchain-based system influences interorganizational trust in a strategic alliance and how blockchain-enabled interorganizational trust influences alliance performance. The case studies of two eastern banks indicate that the technical features of blockchain can help reduce equivocal behaviors and improve interorganizational trust. We discuss the findings and conclude the paper with implications. Collapse

Topics: blockchain affordance user experience usability smart contract

Methods: qualitative interview case study design artifact conceptual modelling computational algorithm

Theories: theory of affordance

Blockchain-based digital rights management systems: Design principles for the music industry

2023 | Electronic Markets | Citations: 0

Authors: Ciriello, Raffaele Fabio; Torbensen, Alexandra Cecilie Gjøl; Hansen, Magnus Rotvit Perlt; Müller-Bloch, Christoph

Abstract: Initially designed to protect intellectual property (IP) of digitalized informat ... Expand

Abstract: Initially designed to protect intellectual property (IP) of digitalized information goods such as music, games, or books, existing centralized digital rights management (DRM) systems mostly serve the interests of major publishers, with scant inclusion of rights owners, creators, and consumers. Although various blockchain-based DRM systems have been proposed, most of them mirror existing counterproductive IP restrictions. Analyzing the music industry as a case in point, this paper proposes design principles for blockchain-based DRM systems that provide an integrated and flexible solution by enabling transparent music licensing structures, consistent and complete rights metadata, and efficient and transparent royalty payout. The solution can be achieved by storing rights metadata on a public distributed ledger, by validating metadata through a consensus mechanism on a permissioned blockchain, and by algorithmically enforcing royalty payout via stablecoin through a smart contract. The design principles were evaluated by industry experts, validating their benefit for the music industry by increasing surplus value that is currently destroyed through previous suboptimal designs. Collapse

Topics: blockchain stablecoin smart contract distributed ledger technology cryptocurrency

Methods: design principle design requirement qualitative interview design artifact design science

Theories: transaction cost economics socio technical theory

A Taxonomy of Violations in Digital Asset Markets

2023 | International Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Clapham, Benjamin; Jakobs, Jenny; Schmidt, Julian; Gomber, Peter; Muntermann, Jan

Abstract: Numerous frauds, market manipulations and other violations have recently shaken ... Expand

Abstract: Numerous frauds, market manipulations and other violations have recently shaken investor confidence in digital asset markets and digital assets themselves. Yet, investor confidence and market integrity are key requirements for the continued success of crypto and other digital assets. In order to facilitate the integrity of digital asset markets and avoid integrity incidents in the future, a systematic overview of violations and their main characteristics is needed to develop appropriate countermeasures. Therefore, we develop a taxonomy of violations in digital asset markets and evaluate the taxonomy based on real-world cases. Our results show that many types of market manipulation in traditional financial markets can also be observed in digital asset markets. However, there are new and additional violations in digital asset markets. We also find that many violations depend on specific capabilities of the violator, certain trading conditions, and asset-specific characteristics. Collapse

Topics: IT security threat crypto wallet accounting information technology infrastructure smart contract

Methods: robustness check cluster analysis

Blockchain-based Governance, Risk Management, and Compliance for Fractional Ownership: Design and Implementation of A Decentralized Autonomous Agent System

2023 | HICSS | Citations: 0

Authors: Cu, Mina; Peko, Gabrielle; Chan, Johnny; Sundaram, David

Abstract: Fractional ownership makes homeownership more affordable. But there are challeng ... Expand

Abstract: Fractional ownership makes homeownership more affordable. But there are challenges in a fractional ownership real estate transaction (FORET) regarding governance, risk management and compliance (GRC) processes. Centralized GRC solutions are less effective in managing the tiered structure of communications in a FORET, which can lead to principal-agent problems such as information asymmetry, risk aversion, and moral hazard. In this research we investigate how these principal-agent problems in FORET could be mitigated. Using an agency theory perspective, we adopt a design science multimethodological research approach. We propose conceptual and system artefacts to support the design and implementation of a decentralized autonomous agent system. These artefacts deliver a formal problem representation structure related to centralized GRC in fractional ownership. We illustrate our solution with a system prototype and implementation. We evaluate the research outputs and compare them with existing GRC systems. This paper contributes to the understanding of GRC in supporting fractional ownership decision making. Collapse

Topics: blockchain decision making cloud computing smart contract moral hazard

Methods: design artifact design artifact testing design science field study theory development

Theories: agency theory lemon market theory

Smart Contracts’ Adoption in the Healthcare Sector: a Privacy Calculus Perspective in China and U.S.A.

2023 | Americas Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Guerra, Katia; Liu, Xiaoyan

Abstract: ... Expand

Abstract: Collapse

Topics: smart contract privacy technology adoption strategic management data security

Methods: survey PLS tool

Theories: privacy calculus theory

Designing a cross-organizational identity management system: Utilizing SSI for the certification of retailer attributes

2023 | Electronic Markets | Citations: 0

Authors: Guggenberger, Tobias; Kühne, Daniela; Schlatt, Vincent; Urbach, Nils

Abstract: The introduction of blockchain offers new opportunities to rethink enterprise id ... Expand

Abstract: The introduction of blockchain offers new opportunities to rethink enterprise identity management. Recently, a new concept has emerged in the blockchain community called self-sovereign identity. Self-sovereign identity combines several existing decentralized identity management approaches, promising new ways to promote more convenient, connected, and secure identity services for the private and public sector. Nevertheless, research in this area is still in its infancy. Most of the very few articles focus either on the opportunities self-sovereign identity might offer or on very specific technical features. Studies on real-world applications of organizations using modern self-sovereign identity implementations and design theory are very rare. To fill this gap, we follow the design science research approach to design, implement, and evaluate a self-sovereign identity system to present tax attributes of online retailers. We present four design principles and conclude that the use of self-sovereign identity and blockchain offers opportunities to improve verification processes. Collapse

Topics: blockchain Hyperledger electronic commerce government system privacy

Methods: design principle design artifact qualitative interview design theory literature study