Not Before Time
From Dan Shearer CV
The practical design NotBeforeTime v2.4 has gone through many iterations and a lot of critical peer review. With assorted working prototypes and a healthy debate among .
The paper explains in mostly non-technical language how:
Not Before Time is a public broadcast facility built on existing technology. Not Before Time gives three strong guarantees that particular information:
- will not be readable before a certain future time
- was not created before a certain past date and time
- was not electronically signed before a certain time
These support human rights, democracy and business.
There is also a health aspect addressing the mental stressors explored by many including Dr Mark Rego in his Frontal Fatigue.
The novel features of Not Before Time are:
- Time locking information is the opposite of the modern and stressful trend for all information to be available instantly, everywhere.
- The three guarantees work for ordinary users using their everyday software on their existing devices.
- The mechanism and its novel new applications as easily explained to non-technical people, which is essential for a system to be trusted.
Validation
I have discussed Not Before Time in detail with:
- Well-known crytographers, who concur that all of the techniques involved are understood and can be rapidly and reliably implemented
- Existing maintainers of broadcast technologies, including the global Domain Name System, distributed network time systems, and a Magellen satellite ground station.
- Likely early commercial adopters, including law firms, construction tender companies and auction houses
- Human rights and whistleblower defense representatives