Play4Privacy offers a fun way to understand blockchain technology

Austria-based lab10 collective, a blockchain technology incubator partners with YourStory to bring blockchain technology to the common man through a game.

Blockchain technology is the new buzzword, and is all set to disrupt the internet. It is the technology behind cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin.

Wolfgang Bergthaler, Co-founder of lab10 collective believes that blockchain not only offers ways to build decentralised peer-to-peer payment networks that include cryptocurrency like Bitcoin, but could potentially eliminate any kind of middleman or central authority running a service.

However, there’s still a lack of understanding of the concept, and how it works. “Our goal is to improve understanding of blockchain as an infrastructure technology platform. We offer a solution to convert people to crypto (blockchain) users by offering a simple and gamified mechanism,” he says.

He adds that the blockchain concept is relatively new but has seen impressive traction in Europe and South-East Asia. One could compare the state of blockchain in 2017, with the rising use of the internet in the early or mid-90s.

How are they doing it?

Lab10 Collective along with the global Blockchainhub network want to take blockchain to the people. “People face difficulties in understanding this new technology. So to provide clarity, we first decided to demonstrate the Play4Privacy, the game in the form of a public space art installation on a very popular building, the Museum of Modern Arts (Kunsthaus) in the centre of our hometown, Graz (Austria),” informs Wolfgang.

However, he believes that the hype around cryptocurrencies and ICOs (Initial Coin Offerings; a new way of crowdfunding where startups have collected millions within minutes or hours) overrides its true potential.

This is where the Play4Privacy project comes in. It introduces blockchain to a wider audience. He adds that each game, be it carom or chess, can be seen as a succession of decisions, which, once made, cannot be reversed.

The same holds true for blockchain as well. As soon as a decision is made (consensus), it is added to the blockchain as a new block, and can never be changed again (finality). Consensus and finality are two main principles of blockchain, along with transparent anonymity.

How the game is played

People from different parts of the world are split into two teams, who then compete online. On the basis of a consensus-generating algorithm, each team places a stone every twenty seconds. All players who participate in deciding the next move earn a reward: a PLAY-token that doubles up as a crypto-currency.

In P4P, human creativity and play time (Proof-of-PLAY) act as resources of this new crypto-currency. The application automatically creates a “virtual wallet” to store the ERC20-compatible tokens on the Ethereum blockchain. These tokens can be traded on an exchange and converted into rupees, dollars or other currencies later on.

When participating in the game, the users understand the concepts of wallet, tokens, private keys, etc. in the most playful manner. Thus blockchain-newcomers can make their entry into the world of blockchain and cryptocurrencies just by playing games.

For every token mined, a supplement coin is generated for auction. The funds raised will be donated to non-profit organisations fighting for privacy.

Bringing the game to India

Wolfgang adds that until recently, blockchain as a topic was restricted to a niche audience. Now it is slowly gaining the interest of the general public.

In the startup and tech ecosystems of Europe, blockchain is a dominating topic, attracting huge funding and even political support.

“We have realised that blockchain has not taken off in a big way in India, but will eventually pick up. The project www.play4privacy.org gives every Indian the chance to be "ahead of the curve", experience, and take advantage of this technology. There is a huge scope for the Indian startup ecosystem with regard to blockchain technology and they should not miss the bus,” says Wolfgang.

 YourStory.com has partnered with lab10 collective to reserve a time slot suitable for the Indian audience to experience blockchain and earn crypto-tokens on proof-of-PLAY basis.

Therefore, apart from the usual European time slot (10:30pm to 1:30am daily), Play4Privacy will be available on Sunday, October 8 from 8:30 am – 10:30 am, powered by YourStory.com.

So, visit www.play4privacy.org to play for fun and benefit from blockchain technology in real life!

 Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5z8OEdrk6k&t=1s

Twitter: https://twitter.com/play4privacy