Backlash begins against Blockchain project
By GovInsider
UK welfare pilot criticised by leading digital voices.
An online backlash has begun against Britain’s plans to use Blockchain in its welfare system.
The UK Government launched a trial in June to use Blockchain to record welfare payments and monitor how they are spent.
“Claimants are using an app on their phones through which they are receiving and spending their benefit payments," a press release announced.
"With their consent, their transactions are being recorded on a distributed ledger to support their financial management.”
The announcement sparked public criticism from current and former members of the UK’s Government Digital Service.
Blockchain is a distributed ledger that is said to be impossible to alter once a record is made. It is commonly trialled to ensure the security of information. A side-effect of the trial, however, means that it will permanently record the spending details of people on benefits.
GDS founder Tom Loosemore asked on Twitter “Why is DWP using Blockchain to record forever, immutably, ppl on benefits”, adding “to then limit how £s spent”.
Why @DWPTechnology using blockchain to record forever, immutably, ppl on benefits? https://t.co/J3VH1zn5Ha <-- to then limit how £s spent
— Tom Loosemore (@tomskitomski) July 10, 2016
The current head of the UK GDS, Steve Foreshew-Cain then wrote “You can be sure that the user need wasn’t: Pls record forever, immutably, details of my benefits and restrict how I spend them”.
He continued that “it’s not the most vulnerable in our society being served here but divisive ideology of ruler and ruled.”
Ben Hammersley, a former advisor to the prime minister, added that the move is “spectacularly sinister.”@tomskitomski You can be sure that the user need wasn't: Pls record forever, immutably, details of my benefits & restrict how I spend them.
— Steve Foreshew-Cain (@s_foreshew_cain) July 10, 2016
Loosemore also revealed that the announcement of this project was first made on the day that he decided to resign from the Government Digital Service. This departure formed part of an exodus from the unit of a number of founding staff members.@tomskitomski Wait until they get a hold of individual DNA-encoded, geo-tagging. If we know where all the people are all the time we can...
— Steve Foreshew-Cain (@s_foreshew_cain) July 10, 2016
@pubstrat was described in such terms by Nick Davies from UC at a Digital Catapult event on 10 Aug 2015. I quit same day. @s_foreshew_cain
— Tom Loosemore (@tomskitomski) July 10, 2016
@tomskitomski Said by no user ever. It's not the most vulnerable in our society being served here but divisive ideology of ruler and ruled.
— Steve Foreshew-Cain (@s_foreshew_cain) July 10, 2016