Georgia’s leading opposition party, the United National Movement, launched United Space, an identity app powered by Rarimo ahead of the Oct. 26 parliamentary elections.
According to a report on Alexa Blockchain, the app aims to use the block-chain powered system to combat low voter turnout in Georgia by rewarding citizens for participation, regardless of their political stances. If elected, the party wants to use the app to “digitize” the Public Service Hall as a platform for experimenting with Universal Basic Income, with the proceeds returning to citizens.
Powered by zero-knowledge social protocol Rarimo, the United Space app wants to implement a liquid democracy model that enables citizens to vote anonymously through the app and be rewarded for their participation.
United Space is actually a modified version of an existing Rarimo ZK proof-of-citizenship solution called Freedom Tool. What makes Freedom Tool different from other blockchain systems is its ability to enable users to issue their own identity by uploading their national ID data, encrypted, onto an on-chain registry.
The app offers a voting system that is free of privacy violation concerns and potential voter manipulations because the blockchain acts as a safeguard against poll tampering.
The system bars outside parties, including the government, from tracking on-app user activities. This level of anonymity is crucial given Georgia’s current political climate.
Tensions have been on the rise regarding this year’s election, considering Georgia’s democracy has been backsliding toward authoritarianism and headed back into Russia’s sphere of influence.
In regards to solving Georgia’s low voter turnout, citizens can gain rewards not just for casting ballots but also for other forms of civic involvement. On the United Space website, it offers a program called “Points and ownership” where citizens can collect points and become a shareholder for strategic points.
MP and leader of the United National Movement, Giorgi Vashadze, envisions a wide transformation for the democratic system. Not just for Georgia, but also the rest of the world.
“United Space will help make Georgia one of the most robust democracies in the world. It will provide unprecedented privacy, access, and ease of use for citizens as they engage both with the electoral system and everyday state services,” said Vashadze.
Director at Rarilabs, Kitty Horlick, said that the app makes citizens direct stakeholders, helping them get involved in the democratic process, state assets and public services.