This text discusses the story of Rachel, a student who was sexually assaulted on a US university campus and chose not to report the incident. However, she registered the assault on a website called Callisto, which uses cryptography to catch serial sexual predators. Callisto allows survivors to enter their information, such as the identity of their assailant, in an encrypted database. If two survivors name the same perpetrator, the website triggers an email to two lawyers who then contact the survivors to offer further help. This innovative approach enables survivors to discover if their abuser is a repeat offender without revealing their identities. The text also explores the concept of privacy-enhancing technologies (Pets) and their potential applications in various fields, including healthcare and official statistics. Pets, such as secure multiparty computation, zero-knowledge proofs, fully homomorphic encryption, and differential privacy, allow for the sharing of data while maintaining privacy. The text concludes by discussing the current niche applications of Pets and the potential they hold for combating global societal challenges, such as sexual assault.
| Signal | Change | 10y horizon | Driving force |
|---|---|---|---|
| Callisto website uses cryptography to catch predators | From survivors not reporting to catching predators | More survivors will be able to identify repeat offenders | Motivation to protect survivors and prevent assaults |
| Privacy-enhancing technologies (Pets) in various sectors | From limited data sharing to private data pooling | Improved data analysis and decision-making in sectors | Desire to utilize data while protecting privacy |
| Rise of Pets startups and government interest | From limited awareness to widespread adoption | Increased use of Pets in various industries | Potential for improved data collaboration and privacy |
| Cryptographic techniques enable data sharing | From data privacy concerns to extracting value from data | Enhanced data privacy and value extraction capabilities | Need for data privacy and value extraction |
| Pets applications in niche sectors | From limited applications to broader use | Pets becoming more widespread and intrinsic | Potential for new markets and applications with Pets |
| Callisto’s impact in preventing assaults | From high rates of assaults to prevention of assaults | Reduction in sexual assaults on campuses | Need for prevention and support for survivors |
| Four important privacy-enhancing technologies | From limited privacy protection to enhanced privacy | Improved privacy protection in data sharing | Desire to protect privacy while utilizing data |
| Differential privacy adds noise to preserve privacy | From privacy breaches to protected individual privacy | Protection of privacy while using data | Need to preserve privacy in data analysis |