Scientific Reports (Sep 2022)

Analysis of solutions for a blockchain compliance with GDPR

  • Mateusz Godyn,
  • Michal Kedziora,
  • Yingying Ren,
  • Yongxin Liu,
  • Houbing Herbert Song

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-19341-y
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12, no. 1
pp. 1 – 11

Abstract

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Abstract The aim of this paper was to perform an analysis of the state-of-the-art solutions of the permissioned blockchain compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), including the implementation of one of the analyzed methods and the own solution. This paper covers the subject of GDPR and its impact on already existing blockchain databases to determine the domain of the problem, including the necessity to introduce mutability in the data structure to comply with the ”right to be forgotten”. The performed analysis made it possible to discuss current research in technical terms as well as in the regulation itself. In the experimental part, attempts were made to research and implement the Reference-based Tree Structure (RBTS), including the performance tests. The proposed solution is efficient and easily reproducible. The deletion of unwanted content is quick and requires consent only from the owner of personal data; therefore, eliminating the dependency on the other blockchain network participants.