Trust, Transparency and Security in the Sharing Economy: What is the role of the government?

Abstract

Governments play an important role in ensuring the functioning of our societies (Zucker, 1986; Möhlman, 2018). This paper therefore seeks to better understand the implications, potential advantages, and disadvantages when governments take on certain roles towards or within the sharing economy. The paper will answer the following question: What is the role of governments in sharing economies to help ensure trust between users? In order to deepen this research question, the paper will elaborate on what the role of technology can be to ensure that government plays a role in ensuring trust in sharing economies. This paper contributes to policymaking by identifying the options governments have to build trust in sharing economies. In order to elaborate on the role of governments in ensuring trust for sharing economies, Power, today, comes from sharing information. Not withholding it. Keith Ferrazzi 'Digital platform in industrial symbiosis' deals with B2B information sharing and the role of government in creating an electronic platform to enable this. The second descriptive case study 'Blockchain in Peer-to-Peer Energy Trading' deals with P2P electricity trading and the role of government in enabling the sharing of electricity. It deals with security and privacy constraints in a blockchain network. Both use cases involve the region of Flanders, Belgium.

Leveraging blockchain for energy transition in urban contexts

“…In fact, at macro, meso and micro level “opportunity structures” are on the rise (van der Graaf et al, 2021). In particular, new ways of working that were made possible by blockchain have enabled actors operating in the public and third sector to promote accountability and transparency (D’Hauwers, van der Bank and Montakhabi, 2020), all while improving on the efficiency and effectiveness of P2P cooperation and algorithmic governance. For example, DLTs can facilitate the roll out of token-based models that support building and (self)governing communities and take up “value” that is broader than merely an economic term (social contracts) (Gloerich et al, 2020; Ostrom, 2010).…”

Typology of digital platforms in shared economy

“…Отсутствие прозрачности рыночной информации между участниками ограничивает потенциал сотрудничества, поскольку снижает доверие между ними. Применение технологии блокчейна обеспечивает прозрачность и доверие среди пользователей цифровой платформы долевой экономики (D'Hauwers et al, 2020).…”

Sharing Beyond Peer-to-peer Trading: Collaborative (Open) Business Models as a Pathway to Smart Circular Economy in Electricity Markets

“…Similarly, this information is valuable to make any estimates about the future demand/supply of the market. 6) Distribution System Operator (DSO): DSOs are the operating managers (and sometimes owners) of energy distribution networks [23], operating at low and medium voltage levels. Their main objective is to avoid congestion.…”