IBM Are Launching A Blockchain Web Browser

International tech giants IBM have recently filed a patent for a blockchain based web browser, according to reports out this weekend. This isn’t the first time IBM have been linked with blockchain based research and technologies, as a matter of fact, we know that IBM are investing a lot of time and effort into researching blockchain technologies, so, this latest patent may not come as a huge surprise. We think it’s pretty exciting nonetheless. 

According to Coindesk:

“A new patent application from IBM describes a blockchain-based web browser. Filed on August 6 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office, IBM’s patent is for a web browser backed by a peer-to-peer network. The browser collects pre-specified information from web browsing sessions, according to the patent. The information is then transferred to a network of peer-to-peer nodes for collection and storage. Information collection depends on the type of browsing experience chosen. Browsing on a work computer versus a personal browser would demand different settings, for example.”

This is a very exciting idea given that at the moment, data security and privacy on many traditional web browsers is often called to question. When we browse the web, our data is used and exploited in many different ways, from tracking and advertising to other artificial intelligence based data mining techniques. Most of the time, this isn’t exactly harmful, but the exploitation of our data by big industries is something that we should not have to ensure. Recent laws set up in Europe, known collectively as GDPR attempt to restore some transparency back into how our browsing data is used, though sadly this hasn’t caught on at an international level as yet, could IBM’s blockchain based web browser be the next step in this? 

Furthermore, according to Coindesk:

“One potential use-case the document includes, among others, is an attack on a computer’s browser. If secured by blockchain technology, a viable backup of all user information is available. Interestingly, IBM included a token in their model. IBM says tokens will verify a users browser session activities as they are packaged into blocks for the peer-to-peer network. IBM’s blockchain web browser concept is not the only one in the field, however. Norwegian web browser Opera company recently launched their iOS Opera Touch browser in June.”

It’s very exciting to see a company as big as IBM looking to use blockchain technologies to make the internet a safer and better space for normal people across the globe. Like Doindesk mentions, Opera and other traditional web browsers are also starting to explore the blockchain for their own products, however with a company as large as IBM trying to patent their idea, we can only expect that they have something very significant in the works here.