Privacy-Preserving Task-Matching and Multiple-Submissions Detection in Crowdsourcing

Crowdsourcing enables requesters to publish tasks to a platform and workers are rewarded for performing tasks of interest. It provides an efficient and low-cost way to aggregate data and solve problems that are difficult for computers but simple for humans. However, the privacy risks and challenges are still widespread. In the real world, the task content may be sensitive and only workers who meet specific requirements or possess certain skills are allowed to acquire and perform it. When these distributed workers submit their task answers, their identity or attribute privacy may also be exposed. If workers are allowed to submit anonymously, they may have the chance to repeat their answers so as to get more rewards. To address these issues, we develop a privacy-preserving task-matching and multiple-submissions detection scheme based on inner-product cryptography and proof of knowledge (PoK) protocol in crowdsourcing. In such a construction, multi-authority inner-product encryption is introduced to protect task confidentiality and achieve fine-grained task-matching based on the attributes of workers. The PoK protocol helps to restrict multiple submissions. For one task, a suitable worker could only submit once without revealing his/her identity. Moreover, different tasks for one worker are unlinkable. Furthermore, the implementation analysis shows that the scheme is effective and feasible.

ZERO-KNOWLEDGE PROOF OF KNOWLEDGE OF MULTIVARIATE POLYNOMIAL’S ZERO

The problem of constructing a NIZK proof of knowledge of a multivariate polynomial’s zero is considered. A previously developed method for SNARK construction based on Quadratic Arithmetic Programs and Pinocchio protocol is adapted to solve the stated problem efficiently.

The Case for a Technology Solution to the Ethics Crisis in Academic Publishing

This article integrates existing theory from distributed computing and cryptology with gray literature from industry to provide a comprehensive description of the minimum requirements of a technological solution to the current ethics crisis in academic publishing. The paper argues that such a solution could significantly reduce the biases and misconduct that now exist in the academic peer review process. Theory suggests such a system could operate effectively as a distributed encrypted telecommunications network where nodes are anonymous, do not trust each other, with minimal central authority. To incentivize the academic community to join such a community, the paper proposes a new pseudo-cryptocurrency called litcoin (literature coin). This litcoin-based system would create economic scarcity based on proof of knowledge (POK), which is a synthesis of the proof of work (POW) mechanism used in bitcoin, and the proof of stake (POS) mechanism used in various altcoin communities.

Theory of the Academic Blockchain

This article integrates existing theory from distributed computing and cryptology with anecdotal material from the cryptocurrency industry, to provide a comprehensive description of the minimum requirements of the hypothetical academic blockchain. The paper argues that such a community could significantly reduce the biases and misconduct that now exist in the academic peer review process. Theory suggests such a system could operate effectively as a distributed encrypted telecommunications network where nodes are anonymous, do not trust each other, and there is minimal central authority. To incentivize the academic community to join such a proposed community, the paper proposes a pseudo-cryptocurrency called litcoin (literature coin). This litcoin-based system would create economic scarcity based on proof of knowledge (POK), which is a synthesis of the proof of work (POW) mechanism used in bitcoin, and the proof of stake (POS) mechanism used in various altcoin communities. The paper argues that the proposed POK system would enable the academic community to more effectively develop the research it finds valuable.

AS VERTENTES DO CONSUMO SUSTENTÁVEL: UM ESTUDO COMPARATIVO ENTRE CONSUMIDORES COM FORMAÇÃO AMBIENTAL E CONSUMIDORES EM GERAL

A prática do consumo sustentável vem sendo discutida por instituições, governos e especialistas, que defendem que a mudança na forma de consumir pode ajudar a minimizar alguns dos problemas da degradação ambiental. Alguns estudos apontam que cada vez mais consumidores buscam consumir de forma sustentável, porém ainda faltam estudos que comparem grupos com características distintas, a fim de verificar se tais diferenças influenciam seus comportamentos. Neste sentido, esta pesquisa foi feita a partir da Escala de Consumo Sustentável proposta por Ribeiro e Veiga (2011) e aplicada com dois grupos de consumidores, sendo o primeiro formado por 172 pessoas com algum conhecimento em causas ambientais e o segundo formado por 210 pessoas sem comprovação de conhecimento na área. Os resultados apontaram que existe uma tendência ao consumo sustentável entre ambos os grupos de consumidores, porém o nível de engajamento entre as pessoas inseridas em áreas ambientais se mostrou bem maior que as pessoas sem este viés ambiental.Palavras-chave: Consumo sustentável. Comportamento do consumidor. Sustentabilidade.ABSTRACTThe practice of sustainable consumption has been discussed by instituitions, governmentes and experts, who defend that change in this form of consumption can help minimize some of the problems of evironmental degradation problems. Some studies indicate that more and more consumers seek to consume in a sustainable way, but there are still studies that compare groups with different characteristics in order to verify if such differences influence their behaviors. In this sense, this research was based on the scale of sustainable consumption proposed by Ribeiro and Veiga (2011) and applied with two groups of consumers, the first one being composed of 172 people with some knowledge of environmental causes and the second group of 210 people without proof of knowledge in the area. The results indicated that there is a trend towards sustainable consumption between both groups of consumers, but the level of engagement among people inserted in environmental areas has shown to be much higher than people without this environmental bias.Keywords: Sustainable consumption. Consumer behavior. Sustainability.

Zero Knowledge Proofs

Zero knowledge protocols provide a way of proving that a statement is true without revealing anything other than the correctness of the claim. Zero knowledge protocols have practical applications in cryptography and are used in many applications. While some applications only exist on a specification level, a direction of research has produced real-world applications. Zero knowledge protocols, also referred to as zero knowledge proofs, are a type of protocol in which one party, called the prover, tries to convince the other party, called the verifier, that a given statement is true. Sometimes the statement is that the prover possesses a particular piece of information. This is a special case of zero knowledge protocol called a zero-knowledge proof of knowledge. Formally, a zero-knowledge proof is a type of interactive proof.

A second note on the feasibility of generalized universal composability

Yao et al. (A note on the feasibility of generalized universal composability.Theory and Applications of Models of Computationpp. 474–485, 2007; A note on the feasibility of generalised universal composability.Mathematical Structures in Computer Science,19(1), pp. 193–205) claimed a potential limitation on the class of protocols that could be securely implemented in the generalized universal composability (GUC) framework proposed by Canetti et al. (Universally composable security with global setup.Lecture Notes in Computer Science, pp. 61–85, 2007). Specifically, Yao et al. presented a concrete attack on a GUC Zero Knowledge (GUCZK) protocol, a natural adaptation Blum's ZK proof for Directed Hamiltonicity using the general GUC feasibility of Canetti et al. (Universally composable security with global setup.Lecture Notes in Computer Science, pp. 61–85, 2007). Interestingly, the attack was not analysed in the GUC model in Yao et al. (A note on the feasibility of generalised universal composability.Mathematical Structures in Computer Science19(1), pp. 193–205, 2009) but in theFUC model, a new UC-like framework proposed in the same work. Nonetheless, Yao et al. (A note on the feasibility of generalised universal composability.Mathematical Structures in Computer Science19(1), pp. 193–205, 2009) argued that, in light of this attack, GUC would lose its concurrent general composability and proof of knowledge properties. Concretely, they argue that GUC composability would now be with respect to some adversaries with limited access to external arbitrary protocols.In this work, we show that the claimed attack from Yao et al. is indeed harmless and does not contradict the security of the mentioned GUCZK protocol, thus restoring the general feasibility for GUC.

Processo seletivo de tutores da UAB da UFAL: aspectos para uma seleção criteriosa e significativa

Resumo: O trabalho discute o processo seletivo de tutores da UAB da UFAL, considerando os aspectos legais, bem como os aspectos técnico-pedagógicos que traduzem a seleção como criteriosa e significativa. Caracterizada como pesquisa qualitativa utiliza a metodologia de estudo de caso e de comparação para estudo de dois editais da UFAL de processos seletivos de tutores. A análise dos dados aponta as limitações que a legislação delineia para a seleção de tutores, as diferenças nos índices de aprovação dos candidatos em relação às etapas utilizadas no processo de seleção, os impactos da prova de conhecimento versus entrevista, bem como demonstra a crescente credibilidade do processo de seleção de tutores da UFAL. Palavras-chave: Seleção de tutores. Base legal. Aspectos pedagógicos Abstract: The work discusses the selection process of the UAB tutors from UFAL, considering the legal aspects, as well as pedagogical and technical aspects that reflect the selection as judicious and significant. Characterized as qualitative research it uses the case study methodology and comparison for the study of two UFAL public notices for the selective processes of tutors. Data analysis points out the limitations that legislation delineates for the selection of tutors, differences in approval rates of candidates regarding the steps used in the selection process, the impacts of proof of knowledge versus interview, and it also demonstrates the growing credibility of the UFAL tutors selection process. Keywords: Selection of tutors. Legal basis. Pedagogical aspects Resumen: En este trabajo se discute el proceso de selección de los tutores de la UAB UFAL, considerando los aspectos legales , así como los aspectos técnicos y pedagógicos que traducen la selección minunciosa y significativa. Caracterizado como investigación cualitativa utiliza la metodología de estudio de caso y comparación con el estudio de dos convocatorias de la UFAL de procesos de selección de tutores. La análisis de los datos muestran las limitaciones que la legislación esboza para seleccionar los tutores, las diferencias en los índices de aprobación de los candidato en relación a las fases utilizadas en el proceso de selección , el impacto de la prueba de conocimientos frente a la entrevista , y demuestra la credibilidad creciente del proceso de selección de tutores de la UFAL . Palabras clave: Selección de tutores. Base legal. Aspectos pedagógicos