Trusted Timestamping
The cluster focuses on methods for trusted timestamping to prove data existed at a specific time, including hashing documents, services like OpenTimestamps and RFC 3161, public archives, and debates over blockchain necessity.
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Yep! This is already done and for exactly this purpose; I believe the common term is "trusted timestamping" [1].[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trusted_timestamping
No need of "blockchain" for that. Just do a hash drop to any publicly archived place, or use a timestamping service.
No need to do it yourself:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trusted_timestamping
Wouldn't a simple timestamping of documents work in this case? Either standard RFC 3161 service or publishing document's hashes on Bitcoin (via OP_RETURN transactions).
Exactly.What your parent described is a type of trusted timestamping and one doesn't need blockchain to implement it.[0]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trusted_timestamping
It's a use case for merkle trees. Since the mere existence of the hash at a reasonably well-attested time is sufficient, you don't need the rest. A handful of central roots of various trees is fine, morally equivalent to announcing things with an ad in the newspaper.
What about https://opentimestamps.org/ ?
This is/could be a legitimate use of blockchain, e.g. see https://gwern.net/timestamping
Allow me to plug my co-defendant's project: https://opentimestamps.org/
Couldn't blockchain be a great tool here? The original hash is uploaded to the blockchain at the time of the recording, then you can verify that nothing has changed since then.