Implementing GDPR-Compliant Surveys Using Blockchain

Ricardo Martins Gonçalves (), Miguel Mira da Silva and Paulo Rupino da Cunha
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Ricardo Martins Gonçalves: Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais 1, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal
Miguel Mira da Silva: Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais 1, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal
Paulo Rupino da Cunha: Department of Informatics Engineering, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Coimbra, R. Sílvio Lima, Pólo II da Universidade de Coimbra, 3030-790 Coimbra, Portugal

Future Internet, 2023, vol. 15, issue 4, 1-17

Abstract: The immutability of data stored in a blockchain is a crucial pillar of trust in this technology, which has led to its increasing adoption in various use cases. However, there are situations where the inability to change or delete data may be illegal. European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)—applying to any company processing personal data from European citizens—explicitly entitles individuals to the right to rectification and the right to be forgotten. In this paper, we describe the design of a system to deploy and process survey data in a GDPR-compliant manner. It combines an Hyperledger Fabric blockchain to ensure that data cannot be tampered with and InterPlanetary File Systems (IPFS) for storage. With the proposed arrangement, we reap several security benefits enabled by blockchain’s immutability without running afoul of the regulations. Furthermore, the proof-of-concept is generic and can easily be adapted to various domains.

Keywords: blockchain; GDPR; personal information; sensitive data; data protection; implementation; hyperledger fabric; IPFS (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O3 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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