Bitcoin Builders: Data Ownership and Empowerment of Individuals with Magic Dapp

Overview:
Hear Zack Weiner tell us about
• First encounter with BSV blockchain;
• Exploring various blockchain platforms and discovering SOP tokens on Bitcoin;
• The decision to focus on building on BSV blockchain due to its advantages;
• Creating simple and user-friendly utilities for the majority of users;
• Magic Dapp is a platform for storing records on the blockchain;
• Comparison of Magic Dapp with Firebase and Firestore;
• The vision of data ownership and empowerment of individuals;
• Monetising personal data and breaking away from exploitative platforms;
• Importance of accountability and trust in society;
• Blockchain technology as a foundation for accountability.

In the latest episode of Bitcoin Builders, Zack Weiner, Founder of VXPASS, Magic Dapp and Alpha Dapp, spoke to Bitcoin Association Community Manager, Brett Banfe about his new platform, Magic Dapp. Before talking in more detail about his decentralised app, Brett asked him to reveal more about the story of how he came to Bitcoin.

Around ten years ago, a colleague introduced Zack to Bitcoin, and despite not fully understanding it at the time, he trusted his colleague and acquired some Bitcoin on Mt. Gox. After a few years, he discovered Ethereum and became interested in blockchain applications when he saw its potential for real-world use cases.

He joined a company building on Ethereum and created a shipping management application. However, due to the variable costs associated with publishing records, the business didn’t succeed.

In 2020, he decided to explore new use cases and tested various blockchain platforms. He found SOP tokens on Bitcoin Cash, which allowed them to create fungible tokens easily. He then discovered a toolset that enabled similar functionalities on Bitcoin Cash and BSV blockchain, which appealed to him. However, he moved away from Bitcoin Cash and BSV blockchain due to negative campaigns against them but tried other platforms like EOS before returning to BSV blockchain.

He found that BSV blockchain was cheaper, more efficient, and had better confirmation times, making it a suitable option for building businesses. Their journey led them to their current position of building on BSV blockchain.

Creating simple and easy-to-use utility for the 90%

Zack then recounts his approach to building services and applications. He believes in using technology to improve people’s lives, particularly focusing on those who may not be tech-savvy or willing to go through complex processes.

He emphasises the importance of making technology convenient and accessible. A target group he thinks of are individuals like his mother, who is intelligent but not actively seeking out new tools.

The founder of Magic Dapp suggests that targeting the 90% of people who represent the majority of global technology adoption, including those with full-time jobs and other responsibilities, is crucial for creating a meaningful impact.

He argues that while catering to the 5% already involved in crypto is important, it is the everyday individuals who need simplified and user-friendly applications to truly enhance their lives. This approach shapes his mindset when building products and services.

The use-case of Magic Dapp

In this context, Zack also clarifies that the Magic Dapp is not exclusively meant for developers, but for anyone who wants to save a type of record on the blockchain. He explains that the app was inspired by the need to store medical data during the COVID-19 pandemic. If you are interested in this project, we have reported about VXPASS in the past, and you can also learn more about this platform at the website of VXPASS.

While the initial application required structured onboarding for authorised medical professionals, Magic Dapp takes a different approach. It allows users to set up their own applications with a few clicks, defining the data they want to store without restricting them to specific requirements.

The app provides a user-friendly interface, similar to tools like Google Forms or Facebook, making it accessible to individuals with basic technical knowledge. The aim is to empower businesses, organizations, and nonprofits to decide what information they want to store on the blockchain and start doing so immediately.

Later in the discussion, Magic Dapp is compared to the popular data management solutions Firebase and Firestore. Zack notes that while Firebase and Firestore provide a platform for admins to interact with the database, it doesn’t offer a public forum for outside actors to participate.

Zack clarifies that their concept is data-centric, similar to Firebase, and explains that digital signatures are generated client-side in the user’s browser using locally stored keys. They emphasize that Magic TAP does not store these keys in the cloud, although there is encryption in place for key retrieval.

After Brett and Zack have amply discussed the background and purpose of the app, an in-depth presentation of the app followed, which you can watch in the full video version of Bitcoin Builders:

Vision: Owning personal records and empowering individuals

After the demo, Brett asks Zack to describe his vision for the next 20–30 years of development once the base layer of the Magic Dapp is established. Zack explains that currently, individuals are not fully aware of the amount of information collected about them by credit bureaus and other sources.

He advocates for individuals to own and verify their own profiles and histories, instead of relying on third parties who control what information is included. This shift would allow individuals to be recognised for responsible actions like consistent rent payments, which are currently not reflected in credit risk profiles.

Zack envisions a future where individuals own and furnish their own records, making it difficult to hide detrimental records, and establishing a trust system where records can be verified. This would enable individuals to monetise their own lives, reducing the need for third-party platforms that monetise attention through advertising.

Zack anticipates a new wave of applications that help individuals monetise their time and create value for themselves, breaking away from existing monolithic platforms that exploit user data. By empowering users to own their data and breaking down silos, new business models can prioritise user benefits and eliminate post-service exploitation. This would lead to more enjoyable and secure online interactions with reduced exploitation of personal information.

Systems lacking accountability will become less valuable in the future

Zack emphasises the importance of accountability and its role in building trust in society. This is how he describes the value of Magic Dapp as a platform:

‘If we can start to document [records] and create this level of accountability, I think systems that don’t hold individual actors, including users and admins to the same level of accountability will no longer be as valuable.’

He acknowledges that establishing accountability is a challenging task, as there are currently spaces lacking in accountability that are exploited by actors who may not necessarily be bad people. Zack sees blockchain technology as a foundation for this accountability since once something is recorded on the blockchain, it cannot be changed.