The use of Blockchain technology has been growing. It has itself established its way into the local government services in the United States. As reported by AP on January 7, Nevada, in particular, has been very proactive to adopt the technology.
Reporting its use, AP reported that Two counties within the Silver State have already adopted the use of blockchain technology to issue digital marriage certificates.
The integration first started in April 2018, when the Washoe County in Northern Nevada announced that it would be offering digital marriage certificates in partnership with, a blockchain startup, Titan Seal.
While some officials accepted the new technology, others were still skeptical about the same. The reaction of the public is also that of mixed. Hunter Halcomb, a Washoe County systems technician, stated, “But some people say, ‘Nah, I don’t use email, so I don’t want it,”
As per a report by Reno Gazette-Journal, in total around 950 such digital marriage certificates, using the Ethereum blockchain has been issued to the couples residing both within and outside Nevada since its inception in April 2018.
Phil Dhingra, the Co-founder of Titan Seal, stated “April 10th was the first time a person got (a digital marriage certificate from Washoe County) … The person had no idea that it was part of a pilot program.”
The process:
Advertisement
So, what is the procedure been followed?
Titan Seal generates a secure cryptographic hash representing the certificate on the Ethereum blockchain prior the marriage certificate is sent via mail by the Washoe Country. This hash generated, is a unique number that can only be generated from a certified digital copy of the corresponding marriage certificate.
The Washoe County states on its website: “It is very improbable that the Ethereum blockchain could ever be hacked. There is no central authority or computer to compromise; instead, there is a worldwide network of thousands of computers that work together to protect the authenticity of transactions on the network.”
Further, it also adds “This is one of the most secure methods of storing information that has ever been invented, and it has already spawned a renaissance in parts of the computer and financial industries. “It is much more secure than our current method of paper certification (embossing, stamp, and signature), which is the gold standard of paper certification, but can still theoretically be forged.”
The steady penetration of blockchain into real-world scenarios continues to see mixed success in the U.S.
Currently, various states across the country are either thinking to apply the blockchain technology to use or looking to redesign the laws to make the acceptance and growth of cryptocurrency more appealing.
This kind of technology may be appropriate for digitization on the back end with very few disadvantages. On the other hand, the most immediate benefit for the recipient of the documents might be that they can receive their documentation right away rather than waiting for a month to receive the document.
Advertisement
The technology might also result in cost savings in the long run, especially due to the ease with which one can send a digital document and avoid the paper cost. In particular, this might hold good for a state like Nevada that plays host to a number of out-of-state couples who come here to get married.
AP also stated that “But for the most part, people are just happy they can receive their marriage certificates within 24 hours instead of over a week.”
