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Call for contribution

Innovative ideas to address the misuse of blockchain knowledge and technologies

Innovative ideas to address the misuse of blockchain knowledge and technologies

Advances in blockchain are spurring a revolution in the delivery of a wide range of trust-based services, with applications ranging from financial markets, supply chains, consumer and business-to-business services, and publicly-held registers. With this capacity, however, there equally exist new possibilities for deliberate misuse, as blockchain knowledge and technologies become increasingly accessible to organized criminal groups and terrorist networks. Depending on the pace and direction of change, as well as our capacity to anticipate and prevent misuse, numerous risk scenarios are possible.

We are looking for innovative ideas and new solutions that can concretely contribute mitigating emerging and future risks posed by misuse of blockchain knowledge and technologies and that can address, in particular, the following scenarios:

  • Abuse of cryptocurrencies for money laundering and terrorism financing
  • Cryptocurrencies as means of payment for counterfeit goods on Darknet markets 
  • Criminal misuse of smart contracts
  • Use blockchain solutions for IP management

The call is for security experts and representatives from industry, academia, civil society organizations and international organizations. The results will be used to prepare a Report on Emerging and Future Risks that will scan the horizon of technology solutions to anticipate and mitigate risks posed by advances in blockchain technologies. The call is organized by UNICRI within the framework of its SIRIO initiative in Geneva.

The call is open until 30 November 2019. If you are willing to join, please contact us:

Mr. Francesco Marelli, Email francesco.marelli@un.org

or Mr. Marco Musumeci, Email: marco.musumeci@un.org

We will send you all relevant information to contribute to the initiative.