It is hard to come by stories not revolving around Bitcoin technology these days, although most institutions refer to this concept as the blockchain or distributed ledgers. The UK government, while mostly quite conservative when it comes to technology, seems keen on Bitcoin technology to upgrade the way they handle taxpayer money.
The Blockchain Can Fix Taxpayer Systems
Although it is still too early to say whether or not the UK government will effectively embrace the blockchain in the coming years, they have launched an investigation into this technological concept. Reducing costs and making operations more efficient is of great value to any business model, especially if that includes taxpayer money.
Moreover, this technology could be used to manage and keep track of the distribution of public money in general, which is another aspect worth exploring. Bringing trust back to the relationship between taxpayers and governments will not be an easy task, but a more transparent system just might do the trick.
Ignoring new technologies would not be a wise move by any government in the world, although very few officials will openly admit they keep an eye on Bitcoin technology these days. The creation of the Internet has gone by unnoticed by the government for most of the time, and they are now struggling to catch up with regulatory guidelines.
But there are some caveats to take into account as well. Despite this public interest in Bitcoin technology, the UK government does not have the best of reputations when it comes to IT systems in general. Throughout the years, there have been various issues with passport agencies, tax crediting, and even the National Health Service.
Getting caught up in the blockchain hype could prove to be quite costly for the UK government. There are a lot of benefits to embracing the blockchain for this kind of purposes, but there is no guarantee for success. We are still in the early stages of development for this technology, but it is certainly positive to see a growing interest from government officials.
Source: The Guardian
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