Virtual Currencies in Modern Societies: Challenges and Opportunities
Politics and Technology in the Post-Truth Era
ISBN: 978-1-78756-984-3, eISBN: 978-1-78756-983-6
Publication date: 7 May 2019
Abstract
Virtual currency is a digital representation of value that is neither issued by a central bank or a public authority. Its reliability is based on advanced cryptographic methods which provide privacy and confidence to citizens. Virtual currency and its underlying technologies such as blockchain or smart contracts trigger transformation in many areas of the society’s functioning. The way in which social relations occur and economic transactions are managed are changing forever. As a result, cryptocurrencies constitute a good example of how specific technology may lead to substantial transformation of the world. Still, virtual currencies could benefit from the versatility of collaborative communication of social media and Internet to promote and develop new commerce and business initiatives as well as new forms of financial flow managements. The objective of this chapter is to examine the role played by virtual currencies in modern societies in order to describe potential uses and applications and their impact on politics and social behavior. As a result, recommendations are inferred to address the challenges and opportunities of these new technologies.
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Acknowledgements
Acknowledgments
This work has been funded by the Conselleria de Educación, Investigación, Cultura y Deporte, of the Community of Valencia, Spain, within the program of support for research under project AICO/2017/134.
Citation
Mora, H., López, F.A.P., Tello, J.C.M. and Morales, M.R. (2019), "Virtual Currencies in Modern Societies: Challenges and Opportunities", Visvizi, A. and Lytras, M.D. (Ed.) Politics and Technology in the Post-Truth Era (Emerald Studies in Politics and Technology), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 171-185. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-78756-983-620191012
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2019, Higinio Mora, Francisco A. Pujol López, Julio César Mendoza Tello, Mario R. Morales